Beach style home design photo in Orange County

Studio Robert Jamieson
Inspiration for a mid-sized 1950s cork floor and brown floor dining room remodel in Philadelphia with white walls

Nobody would be foolish enough to knowingly purchase PIZZA using a third party call-center middleman.But every day, thousands of people do exactly that when they purchase flowers for delivery! That’s because a NEW TYPE of “florist” has appeared on the scene. And that means most flower buyers pay as much as 50% MORE than they should pay! Finding A Floral Supplier When a prospective flower buyer wants to buy flowers, his first stop is usually the internet. The author’s flower shop is in Charlotte, NC and the two most widely used search terms in this area are: “Charlotte flowers” and “Charlotte florist.” When the customer searches for either of these terms, he will get a list of results. Paid results (advertising) are usually shown first. Organic (website) results come after the advertisements. When a customer clicks on an advertisement, he is usually taken to a beautiful website owned by a call-center floral middleman offering beautiful flowers, hand-delivered by a LOCAL florist. And the products are sales TAX FREE. But what is not revealed is that the middle man does not actually have a flower shop in Charlotte! The Difference Between Toasters and Flowers With “durable” products like toasters and sweaters, the location of the seller isn’t terribly important. That’s because the products will be shipped from a warehousevia USPS, UPS or FedEx. But flower arrangements are *fragile* and cannot be shipped that way! Instead, they must be locally custom-hand-crafted and hand-delivered! And this means that if a customer orders from a middleman’s website, the order must – somehow – be passed from the middleman’s company to a REAL local florist in, for example, Charlotte, NC. This “order transfer” is done by one of the three florist-to-florist networks: FTD, Teleflora and Bloomnet (1-800-Flowers). Too Many FEES and COMMISSIONS Membership in these networks is not free, so the middleman always adds a “handling charge” – typically about $15 -- to the customer’s bill to help pay for hiscosts to access to the network. Please note that the $15 handling charge usually far exceedsany TAX FREE “savings!” But the “handling charge” only helps pay for *access* to the network. The florist-to-florist network also takes a 7% commission, and also credits a 20% selling commission back to the middleman! What this means is that, for a typical online floral purchase, just under HALF of the customer’s money vanishes in unnecessary FEES and COMMISSIONS. By comparison, when a customer buys a toaster from an independent business listing it on Amazon, only a few percent of the purchase price goes to fees and commissions. With this huge profit potential available to third party floral marketers, it is not surprising that these middlemen spend huge sums on advertising and sales promotion. A few years back, one even took an ad during the Super Bowl! Buy Direct For Better Value Clearly, the consumer will always get His Best Floral Value by placing his floral order DIRECT with a Real Florist n the City where the flowers will be delivered. Sometimes it may be difficult to tell whether a Flower Supplier is located “in town.”Here are three easy ways to separate a “real” florist from a floral middleman: 1. Look for the street address, city and state on the website. Often this will be found on a tab labeled “About Us” or “Contact Us.” If you cannot find an address at all, then this is almost certainly a middleman! 2. Look at the telephone number. If the only number on the website is a TOLL FREE “800” number, then the floral supplier is probably not local. 3. Look at the invoice (before you click the BUY NOW button!) for any “Handling” or “Service” charges. A REAL florist will never add these charges to your bill! For more information about Charlotte Flowers and Charlotte Florist, please visit the author’s Flower Hut website at http://flowerhut.com. BUT, if you do not want flowers delivered to Charlotte, Matthews, Mint Hill or Pineville, NC, please do NOT order from us! Take the time to find a REAL florist in the town where you need flowers delivered. You’ll be glad you did!

Master Bedroom with Red Bed Frame and custom drapery and bedding.
Bedroom - traditional master light wood floor bedroom idea in Charlotte

Powder room with glam geometric wallpaper complimented with a vessel sink rustic vanity with riveted hardware. Counter top is quartz Viatera - Truffle. Mirror framed wall mirror. Ryan Hainey

Pipex.ai is a leading B2B Platform that connects buyers and sellers worldwide, simplifying industrial sourcing without functioning as a manufacturer. Companies seeking dependable piping solutions often collaborate with a reliable Carbon Steel Welded Pipes Supplier in Saudi Arabia to support infrastructure, oil & gas, and construction projects. Businesses across the Gulf region also work with a trusted Carbon Steel Welded Pipes Supplier in Qatar, ensuring consistent availability and efficient supply for demanding industrial operations. Carbon steel welded pipes are widely used because of their strength, durability, and ability to perform in high-pressure environments. Many procurement teams prefer sourcing through an experienced Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes Supplier in Saudi Arabia to maintain product quality and steady supply chains. At the same time, global buyers connect with a dependable Carbon Steel Welded Pipes Manufacturer in India and a reliable Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes Supplier in India to access precision-engineered pipes manufactured according to international standards. As global industrial demand continues to grow, strong export networks play an important role in maintaining smooth trade operations. Businesses seeking international distribution opportunities often collaborate with a professional Carbon Steel Welded Pipes Exporter, enabling efficient logistics and timely delivery. Through reliable B2B connections, buyers and sellers can build long-term partnerships and strengthen their presence in the global steel piping market.

Pipex.ai is a leading B2B vPlatform that connects global buyers and sellers, making industrial sourcing easier without acting as a manufacturer. Businesses looking for durable flow control solutions often work with a dependable Carbon Steel Butterfly Valve Supplier in Saudi Arabia to ensure efficient performance in pipelines across oil & gas, water treatment, and industrial processing sectors. Companies across the Gulf region also rely on a reliable Carbon Steel Butterfly Valve Supplier in Qatar to maintain steady availability for large infrastructure and energy projects. Carbon steel butterfly valves are widely preferred for their strength, compact design, and ability to regulate flow effectively in high-pressure systems. Many procurement teams collaborate with an experienced Carbon Steel Valve Supplier in Saudi Arabia to access quality valve solutions for demanding industrial operations. At the same time, buyers often connect with a trusted Carbon Steel Butterfly Valve Manufacturer in India and a dependable Carbon Steel Valve Supplier in India to secure precision-engineered products that meet global performance standards. As industrial demand continues to expand across international markets, strong export networks help ensure consistent supply and reliable logistics. Companies looking to grow their global reach frequently partner with a professional Carbon Steel Butterfly Valve Exporter, enabling smooth trade connections and timely delivery. With strong supplier relationships and digital B2B platforms, buyers and sellers can build long-term partnerships in the global valve industry.

Property marketed by Hudson Place Realty - Rare downtown townhouse featuring a unique combination of historic detail and modern conveniences. This timeless all brick home shows the high quality of its original construction through its elegant fluted center staircase and large, well scaled rooms designed for both entertaining and comfortable living. With over 1,800 sq.ft. of space and four full floors, this property offers an ideal level of flexibility in layout and function for the future owner. The first floor accommodates a formal dinning area with wood burning fireplace, an eat-in kitchen with custom cabinetry, professional Viking and Sub-Zero appliances, ample closet and pantry space, and a walkout to a private garden. The second floor features a large formal living room complete with large mahogany pocket doors, original plaster molding and wood burning marble fireplace. In addition, there is a garden level playroom/in-law suite complete with a kitchenette, a separate entrance, and a full bath. Also included on this floor is a dedicated laundry area with stacked full size W/D, folding counter, and storage. Meticulously renovated and maintained, you will find new white oak floors, marble and tile baths including a soaking tub with whirlpool, stained glass skylights above the staircase and the top floor master bath which fill the house in natural light, period molding, and mahogany stained wood doors throughout. Completing the renovation are advanced mechanical systems with a two zone hot water heating system with European style low profile radiators, a seperate two zone hi-velocity A/C and air filtration system, CATV and network wiring to every room, and an advanced wireless alarm system. Super convenient location within short walking distance to NYC PATH, ferry, and bus. In the heart of Hoboken shopping and nightlife, several blocks to four major parks, including the the waterfront, and close proximity to Hoboken’s finest schools.

Small elegant gray one-story mixed siding gable roof photo in Charleston

This is sophistication in the kitchen. These are custom made cabinetry from Dutch Made Inc. These are a maple cabinet with a beautiful paint and a glaze on the base cabinets. It is the perfect partner to the chenille upper cabinets. The hood wall steals the show with it's elegance and open space. This is a custom hood that is breathtaking and timeless. Glass doors around the window give depth and elegance to the kitchen that only glass can do. Don't miss the appliance garage on the countertop to provide plenty of storage. Eating and entertaining at the island is perfect with the stools and snack bar area. Last but not least is the incredible wall of ovens, refrigerator and pantry. Elegant and functional for all goodies. Photographs by Michael A. Kaskel Designed by Lisa Murphy for DDK Kitchen Design Group. Countertops by Tithof Tile and Marble.

In this project we installed a motorized recessed 180" projector screen with a ceiling 4K projector. All of this was also automated using RTI automation. Now with a touch of a button or voice command this client has full control of their home theater.

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!

Startup industry is growing increasingly from year to year, and the trend to create their own projects has gripped the world. We have compiled a list of the most fun projects that are developed in Europe. We present you the most interesting start-up projects of Italy and France. Italy: music, food and business processes Italy has the status of a new high-tech center. This is not surprising, because in recent years, start-ups of Italian specialists are increasingly succeeding and attract the attention of the public. 1. Musixmatch is an application that displays lyrics on the smartphone screen. Founder is Max Chochola. The audience of the project is 30 million. The base has 7 million songs. Text is in 40 languages. The startup has already received investments from two venture capital funds. 2. Thefork is a start-up from Tripadvisor that contains information about food and the best restaurants in Italy. 3. Decisyon is a symbiosis of social networks and systems. It allows companies to coordinate the work of the team. The goal is an optimization of business processes. According to media reports, last year the company received an investment of $ 22 million from the American investment company. France: transportation and the Internet of things Earlier this year, France launched an initiative by which start-ups can apply for the selection and to get a visa to travel to the country. It helps in developing their business. This step is indicated in the country's interest in new companies and highly qualified specialists. Among the most interesting of the French start-up are projects that have been successful: 1. BlaBlaCar is a famous company that has almost become synonymous with the search for travel companions for the trip. A few weeks ago, the startup closed a new round of investment and attracted $ 200 million that will be spent on expansion in new markets. In general, for the 9 years of its existence BlaBlaCar bought eight companies and received funding of $ 335 million. 2. Actility is a company specializing in the Internet of things. Its main product is a platform ThingPark, designed to connect all kinds of organizations. The project was founded in Paris in 2010, and in June 2015 received an investment of $ 25 million from the fund Ginko Ventures. About the Author: Avan Dearthis a writer, whose articles are published in his own blog. He likes to make student’s life easier with the help of his academic articles atCourseworkServiceUK. He can write on completely various topics, especially on the newest technologies.

Gorgeous Sun Room highlights the room's original tilework in this classic Georgian residence. A trellis wallpaper and pale blue ceiling provide an elegant backdrop to the casual but classic furnishings. Custom linen window shades provide privacy and filter gorgeous morning light.

Cynthia Lynn
Example of a large transitional look-out basement design in Chicago with gray walls and no fireplace

Royal Palms and Queen Emmas Landscape designed and installed by Construction Landscape, Jennifer Bevins 772-492-8382
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional partial sun front yard formal garden in Orlando.

This homeowner had been considering new exterior siding for their home in Manasquan, NJ for some time. A sub-division in Long Branch of new high end homes; caught their attention due to the combination of stone and vinyl siding that provided great curb appeal and increased value to their home. The homeowner required the knowledge of Design Build expertise and residential remodeling experience. They knew this could not be found from a siding contractor or stone mason alone. Help was needed with the Design aspect of the project that would transform their weather worn exterior into a beautifully built new home. Their internet research; led them to Mark of Excellence Remodeling, a Design Build Pros Preferred Network Remodeler. Before their consultation with the Project Designer they looked into the reputation of the company with the BBB where the company had an A plus rating and were able to see the company had been doing business and completed numerous projects in Monmouth County over their 28 year history. Monmouth County vinyl and stone siding remodel in Manasquan, NJ (10)The Project Designer met with the customer and went through our needs analysis process. The customer wanted little or no future maintenance, energy efficiency and an up to date and up market appearance. We recommended a full back insulated vinyl siding material for this large home; which would improve energy efficiency and improve the value proposition of the investment. The homeowner had a very specific color combination in mind and the Project Designer determined that Somerset Wheat Prodigy Siding would be ideal in combination with Savannah Ledge Vintage Wine Boral Stone as the main two elements of the exterior. The Project Designer added some architectural accents; a stone arch front entrance to the home in conjunction two stone flower containers. Mark of Excellence Remodeling completely re-framed the front entrance working with Pella windows and doors for the entry door system. Additional features included Prodigy window lineal to give the front windows a more substantial and elegant appearance. Color coordinated exterior trim for soffits and fascia in Adobe Cream, seamless gutters and leaders in Eggshell and Wicker Keystones pull the color pallet and architectural components together. Here is how the home looked BEFORE the exterior makeover and remodeling: BEFORE vinyl and stone siding remodel in Manasquan, NJ (1) BEFORE vinyl and stone siding remodel in Manasquan, NJ (2) The homeowner had a particular challenge with the projecting bay windows on the front and rear of the home. The Project Designer felt that to effectively emulate the exterior siding project the homeowner had seen in Long Branch; the application of AZEK building products exterior trim would break up the predominance of Summer Wheat on large wall areas. The homeowner had already selected low maintenance garage doors which were only available in white. With some direction on the door style from the Project Designer the use of AZEK trim was the ideal complement to the finished doors. A team experienced in emulating traditional construction using AZEK building products was brought in for the bay area detail. This Siding and Stone Project in Monmouth County New Jersey is the envy of the neighborhood!

Example of an urban staircase design in Salt Lake City