Tucked away in the backwoods of Torch Lake, this home marries “rustic” with the sleek elegance of modern. The combination of wood, stone and metal textures embrace the charm of a classic farmhouse. Although this is not your average farmhouse. The home is outfitted with a high performing system that seamlessly works with the design and architecture. The tall ceilings and windows allow ample natural light into the main room. Spire Integrated Systems installed Lutron QS Wireless motorized shades paired with Hartmann & Forbes windowcovers to offer privacy and block harsh light. The custom 18′ windowcover’s woven natural fabric complements the organic esthetics of the room. The shades are artfully concealed in the millwork when not in use. Spire installed B&W in-ceiling speakers and Sonance invisible in-wall speakers to deliver ambient music that emanates throughout the space with no visual footprint. Spire also installed a Sonance Landscape Audio System so the homeowner can enjoy music outside. Each system is easily controlled using Savant. Spire personalized the settings to the homeowner’s preference making controlling the home efficient and convenient.

There are many challenges in Milwaukee commercial exterior painting. With such a wide variety of building fascia materials requiring different coatings, materials and application equipment, there are varying environmental and atmospheric conditions to deal with and elaborate equipment required to complete many of the jobs. Hi-rise buildings need staging, weatherproofing, special machinery and applicator lifts to reach all surfaces. One of the toughest challenges is the requirement to complete the Milwaukee commercial exterior painting project while the business or government office is in continuous operation. All of this requires professionalism, experience, expertise and knowledge that can only be gained by years of work with the diverse coatings and equipment that is necessary to complete large exterior commercial painting projects. Richmond Painting is regularly selected by facility owners and general contracting firms. For the right commercial exterior painting job, we’ll travel as far south as Libertyville, IL and as far north as Mequon, WI. From where we are centrally located in Racine, WI, Richmond Commercial Painting dispatches professional crews and equipment to paint commercial building exteriors throughout the area. Commercial Exterior Painting ServicesAt Richmond Commercial Painting our professionals are available to assist with every aspect of the exterior commercial painting project, from planning, to design, to budgeting, to application and completion. With a solid record of projects completed on time and within budget, our expertise will make any job move like a well-oiled machine; smoothly and quietly. Whether the job requirements are for using elastomeric coatings to weatherproof masonry exterior walls, applying two-part epoxies, spraying high-solids paint for protecting exposed metal, or any of the other specialty architectural coatings, we have the experience, equipment and highly trained personnel to satisfactorily complete the project. We can also tap a network of competent tuck-and- point subcontractors to repair any joints, corners or sprawls in brick or masonry. Our experienced project managers provide their years of background in all types of exterior coatings jobs to make every commercial painting project a successful joint venture with the owner, architect-designer and/or general contractor. We effectively dovetail our portion of the project with those of the other trades, contributing to a smooth “critical flow” on the job. Our portfolio of successfully completed projects includes all types of commercial exterior painting projects: hotels, hi-rise office buildings, factories, warehouses, industrial parks, schools, churches, apartment buildings and just about every other type of commercial facility you can find around Milwaukee. Our clients have learned that with the professional, commercial exterior painting services provided by Richmond Painting, Inc., a job done right the first time saves money over one that requires a number of return visits to the job to touch-up or correct flaws. Keeping that in mind, we’ve found that it really costs no more in the long run to hire the very best.

Open feel with with curbless shower entry and glass surround. This master bath suite has the feel of waves and the seaside while including luxury and function. The shower now has a curbless entry, large seat, glass surround and personalized niche. All new fixtures and lighting. Materials have a cohesive mix with accents of flat top pebbles, beach glass and shimmering glass tile. Large format porcelain tiles are on the walls in a wave relief pattern that bring the beach inside. The counter-top is stunning with a waterfall edge over the vanity in soft wisps of warm earth tones made of easy care engineered quartz. This homeowner now loves getting ready for their day.

Detail of rusted steel gate structure, with black stained cedar infill. photo: grant wilds
Inspiration for a modern landscaping in Seattle.

Karen Tropea
Example of a country living room design in Philadelphia

Exterior, brick, lime, limewash, painted brick, architectural finish

Wavy mother of pearl porcelain tile, wavy white tile for bathroom shower or backsplash. Perfect for fireplace or accent wall
Example of a trendy bathroom design in Los Angeles

Example of a huge trendy metal floating open staircase design in Minneapolis

West Ninth Vintage featured for the 2nd time on Tiny House Nation - airing April 20th -
Example of an urban entryway design in Philadelphia

Pull-out Deluxe Valet Rod accessory integral with closet system.
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional gender-neutral carpeted walk-in closet remodel in Baltimore with raised-panel cabinets and white cabinets

Manolo Langis
Inspiration for a timeless home design remodel in Los Angeles

Marcia Prentice
Bathroom - mediterranean bathroom idea in Los Angeles

Example of a large classic backyard stone and rectangular lap pool design in New York

Zazen mosaic in Polished Gascogne and Calacatta marbles provide the perfect amount of drama to this serene master. Cabochon Surfaces & Fixtures
Inspiration for a large industrial master multicolored tile and stone tile limestone floor drop-in bathtub remodel in San Diego with flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, marble countertops, a two-piece toilet, an undermount sink and white walls

Mike Renneman
Urban living room photo in Phoenix

Inspiration for a transitional bathroom remodel in Detroit

Brookhaven cabinetry by Wood-Mode, Avalon, 'Reindeer Lichen' finish on cabinet boxes and upper doors, 'Navy' finish on lower doors and tall doors; Silestone 'Cemento'; Blanco ' Stellar' sink; Blanco 'Culina Mini' faucet; LG washer & dryer; Noritz tankless water heater; Epoxy-coated floor. Photo by Theresa M Sterbis

The ground floor volumes wrapped in an elongated hand-fired brick, emphasizing the horizontality of the architecture that lays solidly on the land. (Photography by: Matthew Millman)

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!