Where Should I Place The TV?
TV options have grown tremendously in the past few years as new technologies have emerged and older ones have been vastly improved. While many accept the look of a TV on a wall, others bemoan it. There are solutions for all.
1. Regular wall-mounted TV’s. There are multiple options, sizes and price points.
2. Projection TV’s: these days the quality has improved so notably that they are clearly visible projected on a screen or wall in full daylight.
3. Retractable TV mounts: these allow you to place a TV on a wall and angle the TV towards you when watching, allowing for more placement options.
4. Furniture mounted concealed TV’s: cabinets with a hydraulic system allow a TV to rise from a cabinet and disappear when not in use.
5. Ceiling mounted TV’s: These lie flush within the ceiling and then angle down when in use.
6. Floor mounted concealed TV: a high-tech automated arm raises the TV concealed in the floor.
7. Under-bed mounts: a mechanism houses the TV under a bed and it emerges from the foot and rises with a hydraulic arm when in use.
8. TV on a stand. Several attractive variations of this exist at multiple price levels.
9. Mirror TV’s. Tech allows. a TV to be mounted within a bathroom (or other) mirror and disappear when not in use.
10. Room divider see-through TV. LG has revealed a new technology in TV options for the home, a TV with a transparent screen, the world’s first wireless transparent OLED TV, with a 77-inch OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen, a technology used in lighting that facilitates digital displays on products including TV’s and smartphones. Thanks to its transparency, the TV does not need to be placed against the wall like a traditional screen. (DEZEEN)
11. Rollable TV’s. Yup, a TV that rolls up into a low-lying cabinet that maintains your view when placed in front of a window.
12. TV as art? The FRAME TV by Samsung appears as if it were an art piece in a gallery-style frame when not in use.
Naturally, some of these are very expensive options, but often these are cheaper solutions than blocking a view. In a world where real estate can cost $1,000-plus per square foot, the cost of a TV should be weighed up against the space savings…..
How a tax break of up to $3,200 can help heat your home more efficiently this winter
Winter is almost here, meaning the year’s coldest temperatures aren’t far off. But homeowners can take advantage of recently enacted tax breaks to help boost their home’s efficiency, thereby trapping more heat inside and better defending against winter’s chill — and saving them money in the process.
The Energy Efficient Home Improvement tax credit, offered by the Inflation Reduction Act, can help defray homeowners’ costs on such projects — such as installing energy-efficient insulation, windows, doors and electric heat pumps — while also likely reducing the size of future heating bills, experts said. It’s worth a maximum $3,200 a year.
The average American spends $2,000 on energy bills each year, and $200 to $400 may be “going to waste” from drafts, air leaks around openings and outdated heating and cooling systems, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Home heating accounts for 45% of the average person’s energy use, and water heating for another 18%, the agency said.
Home efficiency upgrades can also reduce people’s planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, at a time when climate change is already fueling more extreme and financially costly weather events.
How the tax break works (more…)
Harvard Students share their Vision for Lynn
Students from the Harvard Graduate School of Design presented their semester-long group projects based on the theme of “Lynn: A Greater Gateway” at the Lynn Museum Thursday evening.
“We’ve been working with the city since January to think about what does it mean to be a gateway city,” project coordinator and Associate Professor Dan D’Oca said.
Each group looked at different topics, including economic development and transportation, and thought of how to tailor the city to recent immigrants.
Graduate student Aathira Pillai’s group proposed developing an app for the city’s residents.
“Individuals can come together on one platform [and] start pulling things in, that is where we propose ‘My Lynn’ app,” Pillai said.
The app would be able to function in whatever language the user needs, she said.
“Apart from helping you reach the critical resources that you might need, you might also walk around, scan through the app and get all the city posters, signs, instructions translated to something that you are comfortable with,” Pillai said.
Another proposal came from Briana Villavarde’s group, which focused on an urban heating resilience plan.
“What it really goes over is that technical solutions to urban heat are usually inequitably distributed throughout the city,” Villavarde said. “So how can community engagement, and local and oral knowledge from residents really make technical solutions more robust [in] addressing where heat is the most severe and really targeting vulnerable populations first.”
Through her research she found hot spots in the city, some of which are the General Electric plant, Market Basket, and downtown Lynn.
Other proposals discussed issues such as flooding, equitable development, and affordable housing.
Developer Charlie Patsios of Swampscott said he was “impressed” by the projects he saw from the students Thursday evening.
“What they’re doing is they’re envisioning everything, but they’re asking questions of me on what can happen, and what permission we can give them to let them look at all possibilities,” Patsios said.
“It’s been amazing, the students love the city,” D’Oca said. “Everybody we talked to has been really generous with their time and people have given us a lot of feedback. It’s a place that people really seem to love, we totally get why, and so we hope we did it justice with some of these recommendations we made.” (The Daily Item)
And these recent articles: (more…)
Why aren’t boomers selling?
Baby boomers are booming, but they’re just not going to hit the residential real estate market the way some experts thought they would, according to Selma Hepp, chief economist for CoreLogic, a property data analytics firm.
“A few years back, we certainly heard about this cohort of people turning 65, and some said that there would be all this inventory of homes for sale,” Hepp said. “But we haven’t seen any of that happening yet. If anything, inventories are at historic lows and continue to decline year over year.”
She said one reason seniors are staying put is that home prices in some areas are about 40 percent higher than they were before the pandemic, and interest rates are soaring. Also, seniors are healthier than ever and staying in their homes longer, she said.
Instead of a wave of properties flooding the market, it will be more like a trickle. (more…)
Mozart Requiem: First Rehearsal TONIGHT!
Registration and the first rehearsal will take place at 7:30 p.m. today, Wednesday, Feb. 22 in the Parish Hall of Old North Church.
Subsequent rehearsals will take place every Wednesday evening from 7:30 to 9 p.m. until the April 2 performance.
Go HERE for more details
The centerpiece of the Lenten Choral Concert will be the “Requiem in D” by W.A. Mozart, universally recognized as among the most poignant and breathtakingly beautiful works of the sacred choral repertoire.
Maria van Kalken, director of the Old North Festival Chorus and minister of music at Old North Church, extends a warm and enthusiastic welcome to all singers to join the chorus for its annual Lenten Choral Concert, which will be the first time the chorus has performed with full orchestra in person since March 2019.
Celebrating her 34th season as director of the Festival Chorus, van Kalken has planned a memorable choral concert to take place at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 2, Palm Sunday (more…)
All invited to join Old North Festival Chorus in post-pandemic return
Registration and the first rehearsal will take place at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22 in the Parish Hall of Old North Church.
Subsequent rehearsals will take place every Wednesday evening from 7:30 to 9 p.m. until the April 2 performance.
The centerpiece of the Lenten Choral Concert will be the “Requiem in D” by W.A. Mozart, universally recognized as among the most poignant and breathtakingly beautiful works of the sacred choral repertoire.
Maria van Kalken, director of the Old North Festival Chorus and minister of music at Old North Church, extends a warm and enthusiastic welcome to all singers to join the chorus for its annual Lenten Choral Concert, which will be the first time the chorus has performed with full orchestra in person since March 2019.
Celebrating her 34th season as director of the Festival Chorus, van Kalken has planned a memorable choral concert to take place at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 2, Palm Sunday (more…)
Hot Home Trend: Gothic Glam
Here’s one home style that could be described as eerily bold. Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery’s latest style report, 2023 Trends & Influences IX calls out “gothic glam” as a trend to watch in the new year.
Signatures of this look includes statement lighting fixtures, such as wrought-iron chandeliers and candelabras. To soften the style, pair it next to tall windows that flood a room with natural light, but also adds to the drama.
Other ways to add some Gothic Glam impact: Bronze plumbing fixtures, black accents, woodwork, vivid jewel tones and ultra-glamorous wallcoverings, Ferguson designers note in the style report.
Here are some stunning examples: (more…)
Millennials now make up 43% of Homebuyers
The share of millennial homebuyers increased significantly over the past year, according to the 2022 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends report from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).
The combined share of younger millennial (23 to 31 years old) and older millennial buyers (32 to 41 years old) rose to 43% in 2021, up from 37% the year prior. Almost two out of three younger millennials (65%) found the home they ultimately purchased on the internet, a number that gradually decreases with older generations. (more…)
Free Property and Mortgage Fraud alert notification for homeowners
It has been reported by the FBI that one of the quickest growing white collar crimes in America is property and mortgage fraud. This happens when a person knowingly records a fraudulent document making it appear that they own another person’s property or that the owner owes them money.
Southern Essex’s state-of-the-art Property Watch Service allows you to view the document the same day it was recorded and print it at no cost.
How it works: (more…)
5 tips on how not to disappear in the hybrid workplace
When remote work was mandatory and all or most of your co-workers, your boss, and many of your external stakeholders were remote, the playing field was level. There was a real sense that we were all “in this together.” People were remarkably understanding and accepting of quirky situations, whether IT related or the result of the blurred line between home and work (think dogs barking and children crying during meetings). That kind of tolerance is now rare. And it’s just one of many pitfalls for remote workers.
Whether you are fully remote or in a hybrid work environment, avoid the “Zoom ceiling” by understanding and working around the potential pitfalls that come from lowered visibility in the office.
Knowledge at Wharton, a business journal from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has suggested five steps to position yourself better for greater visibility to ensure that you are getting recognition for your accomplishments and staying in line for promotions and desirable assignments. Make sure your employer knows you aren’t stepping off the ladder. (more…)
5 Crafting Ideas Perfect for Spring
Spring is the season of renewal, and it’s the perfect time to get a fresh start. Whether your home needs some updated decor or you are looking for a new hobby to help you pass away those April showers, you may want to think about taking on a craft project this spring.
Here are a few unique spring craft ideas for adults:
Wood Slice Bunny Rabbit Decorations
If you have some leftover firewood after a long and cold winter, you can put some of those logs to use with a springtime craft. You can slice various pieces of wood in order to craft bunny decorations that are both seasonal and cheerful. Full circular and oval logs can be used for the bunny’s tummy and head, while slices cut in half can be creatively placed to become ears and feet. Finish off the craft with a pastel colored bow, and you can instantly bring spring inside your home with this piece of festive decor.
Cup and Saucer Bird Feeders
Some of the best things to craft during the springtime are outdoor decor items such as bird feeders. Not only are bird feeders a decorative element for your yard, but they also help take care of the birds who call your neighborhood home. One of the simplest springtime crafts is the cup and saucer bird feeder. You can use an old tea cup and saucer to craft a unique bird feeding station. Simply turn the cup on its side and use a strong glue to attach it to its saucer. A large piece of twine can be tied around the cup handle, and once it’s dry you can hang this creation in your yard to feed the birds. (more…)
Old North Festival Chorus Concert TONIGHT!
It is with great joy that the Old North Festival Chorus will present its Lenten Concert this Sunday, April 10 at 7:30 PM at Old North Church, 35 Washington Street, Marblehead, singing together for the first time in 28 months:
There will be a freewill offering, and proof of vaccination will be required, along with the wearing of a well-fitted mask.
First Old North Festival Chorus Concert since 2019
It is with great joy that the Old North Festival Chorus will present its Lenten Concert this Sunday, April 10 at 7:30 PM at Old North Church, 35 Washington Street, Marblehead, singing together for the first time in 28 months:
There will be a freewill offering, and proof of vaccination will be required, along with the wearing of a well-fitted mask.
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