1675 Lamington Rd, Bedminster, NJ 07921, Bedminster, New Jersey, United States For Sale

Read article : 1675 Lamington Rd, Bedminster, NJ 07921, Bedminster, New Jersey, United States For Sale

Firefly Farm is a captivating property set on woodlands management farmland-assessed land. It was transformed from a circa 1850 Pennsylvania barn into a luxurious residence in 2000. The result of a comprehensive re-design process is a comfortable home that interweaves 19th century features and modern amenities. Outside, a stone-walled bluestone courtyard, an in-ground swimming pool, green lawns and perennial gardens enhance the landscaped acreage.

Original appointments include rough-hewn ceiling beams, barn wood walls and ceilings, geometric trusses and wide plank pine wood floors. These details complement newer installations like a hot water radiant floor heating system serving most of the home, an updated kitchen combining old and new amenities, and spacious bedrooms. Oversized and transom-topped divided light windows brighten the open concept layout.

Introduced by French doors, the entry offers dramatic views into the open floor plan. Capped by a rough-hewn wood mantle, the walk-in stone fireplace is a commanding focal point in the living room. In the banquet-sized dining room, ambient lighting from wall sconces and spot lights are thoughtful features.

Truly the heart of this appealing home, a country kitchen contains painted wood cabinetry, granite counters, a center island with seating, built-in corner hutch, double soapstone farm sink and walk-in pantry. A full complement of appliances includes an electric cooktop, double oven, built-in microwave, dishwasher and Sub-Zero refrigerator. Windows surround a breakfast nook with a built-in bench. Nearby are the brick-floored mud room, well-appointed laundry room and powder room.

Reclaimed bricks were used to create a wood-burning fireplace in the library. Built-in cabinets and shelves, a wet bar with refrigerator, beamed ceilings and 12-inch wide distressed wood floors lend additional character to this handsome space.

Privately situated on the first floor, a master bedroom contains two walk-in closets and French doors to the courtyard. The master bath includes a jetted Jacuzzi tub, two sink vanities, separate shower and garden views.

A staircase to the second story is detailed with reclaimed newel post balusters and hand railing. There is an open loft/study plus three bedrooms. Additional living space in the basement is comprised of a play room/media room, exercise room with wood floors and three storage rooms.

Dream Camper Floor Plan Contest

Read article : Dream Camper Floor Plan Contest

Dream Camper Floor Plan Contest – Part 2 http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/news/dream-camper-floor-plan-contest-part-2/"> Dream Camper Floor Plan Contest – Part 2&BODY=I found this article interesting and thought of sharing it with you. Check it out: http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/news/dream-camper-floor-plan-contest-part-2/"> 12 more reader submitted dream floor plans including raw concepts, wild ideas, and subtle refinements.  And the winner of the first ever dream truck camper floor plan contest is… Just last week we visited a prominent truck camper manufacturer and the subject of our dream camper floor plan contest came up.  We talked with great excitement about the variety of ideas our readers were presenting, and encouraged them to study the plans when they debuted.  No, we didn’t give them a sneak peak.  It’s more fun to tease. None of the submitted designs, including mine, are anywhere near production ready.  That was never the intention or spirit of this contest, nor is it possible without delving into details like plumbing, electrical, and code compliance.

The true potential of this contest is to give truck camper users from around the United States, Canada, and the world the opportunity to directly inspire professional truck camper design teams.  You know, the folks responsible for the truck campers you see debut here on Truck Camper Magazine, at RV shows, and dealer lots?  This was your shot to show them your big idea, and possibly change the course of truck camper design history.

I know, crazy talk.  Then again, crazier things have happened.  I’m going to lobby the industry to take your designs and ideas seriously, as I do with our bi-annual truck camper survey coming up this fall.  Together, we will change the course of campers.

Far be it for us to determine who should win the best dream camper floor plan, except that’s exactly what we had to do.  This is, after all, a contest, and we are the big cheese, cheesette, and cheese-cat for this electron-only magazine.  After considerable review, and a tail gesture we interpreted as positive, we have a winner.

The winner of the first ever dream truck camper floor plan contest is…

Karl Pettitt, Elmhurst, Illinois – Winner

Above: Click to enlarge this floor plan and the others below to see them bigger.

Although I don’t currently own a truck camper, I would like to in the future.  I often think of what an ideal floor plan would be so this was a fun exercise.  I first did the layout in a program that was to scale.  The dimensions should be pretty accurate.

The floor length is 11-feet.  The total length is 19-feet, 9-inches.  The width is 8-feet.  It’s a single-slide, dry bath, flatbed model.

Although there are a few flatbed model campers on the market, I think there is a great deal of room for more.  Specifically, I think there is room for a larger model that takes full advantage of the ability to place the door anywhere.

To this end, I created a floor plan layout that places the door towards the front of the curb side of the camper.  This allows for greater flexibility in the placement of the bathroom, which I put across the entire rear of the camper.

The slide allows space for both a dinette and a small couch that can turn into a bed.  Placement of the kitchen towards the front, along with the heaviest components such as the fresh water tank, battery bank, and propane tanks, will help in keeping the center of gravity as close to the front as possible.

The placement of the entertainment center allows for viewing either on the main floor or the cabover.  There is overhead storage above the kitchen and couch that makes up for the lack of floor cabinets.  There is also ample windows allowing light in from either side of the camper as well as views.  I think this would make an ideal camper for a family with the potential to sleep up to six people without the use of a bunk.

#16 – David Miller, Branson, Missouri – Honorable Mention

My camper is designed with the premise that the most important things about a truck camper use are (1) the nice, soft, queen bed for sleeping, and (2) the nice bathroom for showering; not a wet bath.

The dining aspect needs less emphasis because, typically, the meals are simple and small.  In most cases, weather dependent, we eat outside at the picnic table.  Thus there is no need for a large dining table.

There is also no need to accommodate guests for sleeping.  If the grandkids are camping with us, they will sleep in a tent outside.  The concept of having the table convert to a bed is unnecessary, and a waste of space for us.

The attached drawing is for a non-slide design to fit a full-size short bed pickup.  I figure this camper will hang over the back of a 6’6” truck bed by approximately 27-inches.

Here are the wonderful features of my perfect truck camper:

It has a dry bath and shower.  This is extremely important.

The dining area has been reduced in size to only seat two adults.  The table is curved and the back of the seat cushion is curved to give the feeling and seating of a corner booth in a restaurant.  The only slight difficulty is that the person who sits down first will have to slide in and cannot get back out until the other person stands up, but, that is just like a corner booth in a restaurant and won’t be too much of a hassle.

There is a closet on both sides of the bed in addition to the foot lockers.  The television is mounted above the table, on the wall of the dry shower.

As you can see, the bed and the dry shower get the most emphasis, and the dining facilities are minimized.  It’s the perfect camper for two adults who want to shower every day after a good nights sleep.

#17 – Jake Schultz, Washington – Honorable Mention

A Folding Camper for the Ford Ranger

This camper is designed to be less than 780 pounds to work within the payload limit of a Ford Ranger.  It’s also designed to be 64-inches wide, with a maximum travel height of 82-inches.  These dimensions allow the camper to fit into a standard 84-inch garage in the folded configuration.

The camper features a full stand-up heigh interior of 76-inches, as shown.  A sun-dome could be added for an additional three-inches of interior height.

The camper has a double-pivot folding hard wall roof and sides with an open and panoramic cabin.

The camper can be used in one of four configurations:

1. Wide open with magnificent panoramic views to the aft sides and back.

2. Open to the aft sides and back, with screen netting in place.

3. Polycarbonate window panels in place (inboard of netting) for inclement weather.

4. Window panels in place and privacy curtains on the interior.

There would be comfortable seating for two at the dinette with the cushions angled slightly inward to account for the wheel well.

The camper would feature a modified full-size bed available at all times.  There would be a 24-inch cabinet for hanging clothes under the foot of the bed.

To save weight, the roof would be built for structure and snow loads only, not to stand on. The floor would be to stand on only if the camper is on the ground or in the bed of the truck, again to save weight.

There would be no jack stands.  The camper is suspended from the owner’s home garage root trusses to remove and store.

There would be an ice chest under one seat and Porta-Potti under the other.  There would be no refrigeration systems or black water tank.

All systems are in one four-foot module along the right side for minimum weight and system run lengths.  The module contains the propane tank, propane heater, two-burner stove, sink, fresh water tank, grey water tank, battery, converter, inverter, and small item storage.

#18 – Mark Larson, Phoenix, Arizona – Honorable Mention

This is my drawing for one of my dream campers.  Please excuse the poor scale on the toilet, lavatory, and kitchen sink.

I know this would be better as a flatbed model because of the side aisle going to the cabover and the location of the shower.  It could also be an above the bed rail model.  I’m with you wanting a camper with no slide outs.  You had a great design of your own.

#19 – Kari Miller, Branson, Missouri – Honorable Mention

My truck camper is the best design ever.  Here are the great features:

1. There is actually a solid wall between the over cab bedroom and the rest of the camper.  This creates total privacy, similar to a fifth wheel with an isolated separate bedroom.

2. The step to the bedroom is offset so there is not direct line of sight into the private bedroom.

3. There is room at the foot of the queen-size bed to access the closet and a real two-drawer dresser, which is what is needed for storing clothes in a camper.

4. A narrow, but deep and tall closet is behind the refrigerator is accessed from the step.

5. Instead of wasting room on a full table top and a table that converts to an unnecessary bed, this camper has a bar top for dining.  The seating consists of two bar stools which can be clamped down for traveling.  People spend many hours sitting on a bar stool so, obviously, these would be comfortable.  Plus, for most eating situations, people will either sit outside at the picnic table, or go out to eat at a restaurant.  There is a big window over the bar top so it would be pleasant sitting.

6. There is a slide-out pantry between the bar top and the range

7. The bathroom has a dry shower, which is important.

8. This camper should fit in a full-size short-bed pickup.  There are no slides, and it is
hard-sided.

#20 – Mike Cianci, Loveland, Colorado

Here’s my plan.  It’s fairly basic.  I chose a wet bath because it’s easier to clean.  Put it in the forward section near the wardrobe with a privacy curtain so nobody has to see your business.  And it’s easier to keep the bed/bath/dressing area cleaner.

I chose wardrobes with shelves or drawers which is more practical than hanging closets.  Who is bringing their tux and ball gown while truck camping?  There are overhead bins throughout where practical.

There would be LED lights, two batteries on a movable tray, and a small solar setup.  Only simple shades are necessary; no cornice, or valance boxes around the windows.

There would be 12-volt and 110 AC throughout, two Fantastic fans – one in the bedroom and kitchen – and an air conditioner   There would be a full-size skylight/dome in the bath with a side wall exhaust vent.

The sofa could be a jack knife-style, or have storage underneath.  And it would have two pull-out tray tables mounted in or adjacent to the armrest.  Plus it would pivot for easy egress from the sofa while eating or using computer, similar to tray tables on airliners in first class.

The television would be on standard pivot for bedroom and living room viewing, and would recess in a cabinet above the slide out pantry.  The rear exit door would have a platform deck for easy entry/egress.

#21 – Kevin Pinassi, New York, New York

#22 – John Wells, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania

My design is a modification of the Chalet Ascent S100F, a limited production model (six total!) that Chalet discontinued to pursue production of their more profitable double and triple-slide models.  We love ours because it is completely usable with the slide in or out.

It has huge floorspace when the slide is out for entertaining friends and for ladies to dress in Civil War hoops (don’t ask).  The front bath allows a full height pleated curtain immediately behind the dinette to be drawn across to create a dressing room with access to bath, bed, and wardrobe.

There are no appliances in the slide, minimizing slide-out weight, and wear and tear on electrical and gas connections while maximizing efficiency of the refrigerator.  While we love our camper, please allow me to debut … drum roll… The Wellspring S110F.

My modifications to Chalet’s original design are as follows:

There would be 10-inches of increased length in the main cabin.  On the slide-out side, this extra wall space at the junction of the overcab and cabin strengthens the exterior at the crucial front corner tie-down.  We have already noticed flexing at this point and have taken steps to greatly reinforce this important structural location.  On the kitchen side, this extra 10-inches allows an increase in much-needed counter space, as well as under and over cabinetry.

I would also add about four to five inches to the side-to-side width of the wet bath.  The wardrobe doors and bathroom door would still function even with the slide in.

Additionally, I’d add half-penguin cabinets to the night stands at either side of the bed in the nose of the overcab.  These units would be open-shelved on the sides, half-depth and about 3/4 height, with a small rail or lip on the shelves and top edge to keep books, phones, clock, etc from falling out during travel.

I’d also add a three drawer cabinet with open top shelf and top rail at the foot of the bed on the bathroom side.  I’ve avoided the side hampers as I feel they add significantly to the difficulty of changing the bedclothes, though they could be added quite easily as an option.

#23 – Bob Dold, Monson, Massachusetts

Attached is my submission for the dream floor plan contest.  It is based off an EarthRoamer layout modified with a fore/aft dinette and an undercover slide-out compressor refrigerator chest.  I chose the slide-out compressor fridge since they are more efficient than a three-way refrigerator, and it allows for additional counter space.

One of my favorite features of the EarthRoamer plan is how the closet and bathroom doors can be opened and secured to provide a changing area outside the wet bath with access to the closet.  The wet bath has a wooded floor grate to provide a cleaner surface for the bath when the shower isn’t being used.

Access to the toilet cassette is through the rear storage door which drops down and can be used as a counter when cooking outside.  Another door above the horizontal door to the left of the spare tire can be used to store chairs and other lighter items out of the weather.

I prefer the side entry design as it allows the entire back wall to be used for storage and it allows access to the camper from the curbside when parked without having to remove bikes/trailers from the back of the camper.

The pantry to the left of the closet would be a bank of drawers with a window air conditioner unit above to provide for cool air without the expense and height of a roof mounted unit.  The dinette would be a little under three feet wide and can convert to a single bed if needed.

Large awning windows on either side provide lots of light and views with storage cabinets above them (not shown).  The overcab queen bed runs north/south to allow for getting out of bed without having to climb over your significant other, and has windows on both sides along with a skylight/Fantastic fan for good ventilation while sleeping.

Another feature I don’t see included on many campers any more is a pass through.  I would like the ability to stealth camp and having the pass through allows one to enter and exit the camper without having to go outside.

#24 – Floyd Schotel, Williams Lake, British Columbia

I’ve been dreaming up my ideal truck camper for a little while now, so you’re design contest is a great opportunity to share my napkin sketches!

For fuel efficiency, handling, and stealthiness, my ideal truck camper would be a low profile pop-up design to fit a 6.5-foot bed, full-size pickup.

The camper body extends past the bumper, dropping down for a low step-in side door.  Inside steps lead to the floor height.  This way the back of the camper is open to mount bikes, fuel, spares etc.  Also, the side door is a natural access to the curb or side picnic area.

Most of the windows are in the soft sides of the pop-up.  That way the camper will be more secure when in the locked down position.  In fact, the camper may look more like a service truck than a camper when in travel mode.

I’d keep the camper as small and tight to the truck as possible.  To keep things simple, I can do without a toilet/black tank, but a collapsable shower would be nice.

This camper is designed for boondocking and overland excursions as well as urban stealth camping.  I love the idea of taking my bed and a hot shower with me in a compact camper for a road trip.  No need to stress about finding a hotel, and a meal can be fixed anywhere, pronto!

#25 – Glenn Yauney, Milwaukie, Oregon

Here is an idea of a dream truck camper floor plan.   We started with the floor plan of a 1140 Arctic Fox.   We added a rear slide-out and side entry.

We would prefer a camper with both a rear and a side slide-out.  When towing a trailer, a rear door entry is awkward, thus we prefer a side entry into the camper rather than a rear entry design.   We added a large closet in the rear slide-out opposite the entry door for boots, outdoor clothes, etc.

Storage space is also at a premium, so I propose one that has both ample wardrobe closets and storage space equipped with larger drawers.  You can’t have too much storage space.

Exterior storage isn’t shown, but basement and exterior storage are also a must.

#26 – TJ and Kelly Kretschmar, Kansas City, Kansas

I am a mechanical engineer and have the ability to convert .pdf’s to CAD.  The Unimog part of the drawing can be found in the technical manual from Mercedes Benz website.  I printed the drawing to .pdf, then converted it to CAD.  I then printed the drawing for the Pangea concept and converted the drawing to CAD.

The reason I choose to draw this concept in CAD was to see if it was physically possible to put a garage bay in an expedition vehicle, and to incorporate my own ideas into the same space that would fit on a Unimog chassis with a single rear axle.

I deleted the interior of the lower living area so I could insert my own concept.  The items that I used from the original GXV drawing are the exterior walls, entry door, cassette toilet, and spare tires.  The loft area and access stairway is also GXV’s design, only with one bed instead of the two indicated in their drawing.

I used the Unimog drawing to make sure the entry door, center of gravity, and departure angle were going to work with the design.

We like the Pangea Lifting roof on a Unimog concept, but wanted it to double as a toy hauler.  We put one bed in the loft area to give the dinette area a sense of a vaulted ceiling.  The unit can be used in the down position for extreme cold weather.  The garage door folds down allowing access to spare tires.  The ATV slide out is similar to a Tommy Lift gate.

The camper would be able to detach with its own hydraulic jacks and allow for the installation of a dump bed.

This, of course, is just a dream.  For now our 1994 Hallmark Ute and 2006 Nissan Titan will have to suffice.

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carrera marble bathrooms bathroom transitional with windows oval soaking bathtubs" />

Carrera Marble Bathrooms with Transitional Airy Open Windows Over Bath, When this relates to room remodeling, there are numerous things you need to consider just before getting the solutions of a qualified service provider, or making home appliance varieties. More than any other room of your home, the room is actually one of the most versatile. It is actually utilized to ready dishes, supply the household, shop foods, and well-maintained and shop support service wares and various other family items.

The room is actually also the household meeting place. Everybody definitely migrates to the room since this is actually the key focus of the residence. As a result, this is necessary that every room remodeling idea be actually taken note of. Explore residence decorating journals and capture some terrific tips on TELEVISION. Whether you make a decision to make the room on your own, work with a room remodeling contractor or residence facility, developing a strategy will definitely be actually the initial step. In shorts, create the dream and make it clear.
The 1st room remodeling tip is actually to think about the three basic room functionalities: storing, cooking, and clean-up. A properly considered room design are going to suit each of these three functionalities. The format of the room design should be actually determined along with hassle-free format and peace of activity. The timeless " job triangular" should be actually the manner of the layout. The room sink, fridge and oven, as the three room functions utilized most often, should be actually organized in a triangular design. This job triangular spares unneeded measures when cooking and has proven to be one of the most hassle-free format. The job triangular concept spares unneeded measures when prepping foods, and confirms one of the most hassle-free style design.

Beneteau First 50 - MySailing.com.au

Read article : Beneteau First 50 - MySailing.com.au

Beneteau's latest cruiser/racer is from super-yacht specialist Philippe Briand, by Vanessa Dudley.

FIRST of all, it's not a Farr boat. French boat builder Beneteau has had a golden run with its First line of production cruiser/racers bearing the Farr Yacht Design name, most notably with the First 40.7 and more recently the 47.7, 44.7 and 36.7.
For its new First 50-footer, however, Beneteau turned to Philippe Briand, the French naval architect whose focus in recent years has been on super-maxis like the 140ft Mari Cha IV. Briand advances the proposition that "the primary function of a yacht is to be aesthetic. Her owner has to be proud of her?.

"Philippe Briand was brought onboard to produce a beautiful boat," says John Cowpe of the Australian Beneteau importer, Vicsail. While smaller First models like the 44.7 and 34.7 have been aimed at IRC racing, the new First 50 has a different primary focus, Cowpe says. "It's a sports cruiser, a boat you would race in Premier Cruising division rather than against the IRC class boats like the Cookson 50s."

The result is a stylish and well-proportioned yacht which has some interesting signature features like the "eyebrows" (or eyelids) over the side windows in the coach house (giving the boat a distinctive look, while also providing protection so the windows can be left open while sailing in moderate conditions), and the long bank of green tinted skylight hatches along the centreline both ahead and behind the mast.

It is a much sleeker craft than Beneteau's other current model 50 in the Oceanis cruising range.

In fact it probably has more in common with semi-custom craft such as the Marten 49 in the modern performance/sports cruiser category. With its carbon composite construction the Marten offers higher performance, but at a considerably higher price.

The first boat to arrive in Australia is Playstation 3, for Sydney yachtsman Dean Harrigan, stepping towards a more performance oriented boat from his previous Beneteau 53f5 Big Kahuna, and Greg Hargraves.

Playstation 3 attracted a great deal of interest at the Sydney International Boat Show in August before whisking away for the delivery north to the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week, where it was to compete in the Premier IRC division.

By the time this review is published, there will be racing results on the board for the new boat, which at the time of writing did not yet have an IRC rating.

Rig and deck layout

Playstation 3 is fitted with a black-painted aluminium mast produced by Sparcraft; keel-stepped and tapered with triple aft-swept (20 degree) spreaders. A slightly taller carbon mast, weighing roughly 100kg less, is a more expensive option. The large section aluminium boom is also from Sparcraft.

"A lot has been learned from racing boats to produce a simple boat that works," says John Cowpe. The mainsheet trims on an electric-powered winch on a central island base with no traveller, relying on vang sheeting. There are Navtec hydraulic controls for the vang and the backstay.

Harken winches are used with a 53.2 self-tailer for the main, 60.2 self-tailers for the primaries and four 48.2s on the coach house for the halyards and control lines.

Standard running rigging includes Dyneema halyards and control lines leading back to jammers on the coach roof within reach of the cockpit. Where possible lines are recessed into the deck to provide less cluttered space.
The headsail has a fixed genoa furler under the foredeck. The anchor locker houses a tilting bow roller fitting for the 24kg Delta anchor. A hydraulic ram controls anchor launching on the pivoting arm, which turns through 180 degrees, and there is a 12 volt 1500 watt electric windlass. A separate sail locker with its own access hatch is also located at the bow.
The electronic instruments on Playstation 3 are from B&G, which also supplied an autopilot. This makes the steering a little heavier than would otherwise be the case, but will be a boon for deliveries and cruising.

The standard boat comes with teak cockpit seats, but Playstation 3 was also given a full teak decking job by Vicsail's after-sales team. This added an estimated 80-110kg of weight; "one big guy spread across the whole boat, so it?s not a big issue," says John Cowpe.

The two steering wheels are 900mm diameter painted aluminium. The transom folds down by simply releasing a barrel bolt to provide a boarding and swim platform. The aft section of the cockpit houses a large locker for the life raft or tender, safety gear, etc, and there is a lot more storage in the cockpit seat lockers.

Playstation 3 is set up with a cockpit lighting system of blue LEDs on the boom in front of the mainsheet so "doing a race like the Pittwater to Coffs, the crew can see without blinding the helm," says John Cowpe.

Below decks

The First 50 interior is very much in keeping with the latest styling across the major production yacht builders, including the use of light oak coloured timber, open floor spaces and those raised, square hand basins which are everywhere these days.

The first time I saw this styling ? Japanese influenced to my eye ? was on the German Hanse range, although I'm not sure if that's where it originated.

Stepping down the companionway brings you into a large, light and airy saloon, with a lot of headroom (1.95 to 2.01m) in spite of the relatively low-slung proportions of the coach roof.

The row of green tinted hatches in the centre of the coach roof can be sealed off with blinds and provides a healthy amount of light. According to Beneteau there are in fact 24 opening ports and hatches when you count up all the Lewmar windows with their anodised aluminium frames and include the sliding companionway hatch.

Halogen lighting and articulating reading lamps are included in the standard fit out.

The layout provides three private double cabins, the forward cabin having an en suite bathroom with a separate shower stall, while the mirror-image aft cabins are served by a smaller bathroom on the port side of the companionway. The forward toilet has an 80lt holding tank.

The two aft cabins have innovative soft fabric zip-up hanging lockers on stainless steel frames, while the front cabin has a more conventional full height locker. There is plenty of attention to detail throughout this craft, such as the internal light which comes on automatically when you open this forward locker.

Other details include a dedicated holding area for the stormboards behind the companionway steps, and drawers within drawers in the galley, which is on the starboard side at the aft end of the saloon.

The galley facilities include a 60lt top-opening icebox with a 12 volt evaporative cooling system, plus there is a 100lt fridge, as well as an LP gas oven and stove and quite a lot of storage compartments and bench space.

The L-shaped settee on the port side flanks a timber table on stainless steel legs, while there are two more removable/reversible seats on the centreline. Opposite to starboard is another settee, while outboard on both sides are banks of cupboards with upward opening doors.

Aft of the dining area is a generously sized navigation station with swivel chair, chart table, electrics panel and space to mount nav instruments, radios, etc. An aft-facing desk area can accommodate a laptop computer. The radio/CD/MP3 player is included in the standard equipment list with two saloons and two outside speakers.

Instead of having large floorboards which can be difficult to manage, the First 50 has small laminated timber squares which are lifted individually using a suction cap. This allows access to the bilge and inclusions such as the wine rack housed under the floorboards adjacent to the front of the galley.

The Yanmar 55hp engine under the companionway has an 80Amp alternator attached and a 40Amp battery charger. The 12 volt batteries include a 110 Amp engine starting battery plus two 140 Amp house batteries and there is 220V shore supply with a circuit breaker, and seven 220 volt sockets around the cabins.

Performance

By the time this test is published, Playstation 3 will have some runs on the board from the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week. We did not race the boat, but sailed her in a 5-12kt westerly breeze on Sydney Harbour in flat water.
She is a big, powerful performer, with the T-profile torpedo bulb keel providing a reassuring amount of righting moment when pressed.

In bumpy water you would not expect her to equal the performance of boats like the carbon hulled Marten 49, but her IRC rating should reflect that difference, and in flat water she achieved impressive numbers upwind and reaching without using her new suit of Norths 3DL sails or a spinnaker, which will be flown conventionally from a pole rather than a bowsprit.

Beneteau clearly sees a future in the sports/performance cruiser concept, as the company will release a First 45, also designed by Philippe Briand and similar to the 50 with stylish lines, twin wheels and an open transom, at this year's Paris Boat Show in December.

Specifications

Length overall ... .. .. 14.98m
Waterline length ... ... .. 14.65m
Beam ... ... ... 4.37m
Draft (deep draft option)... 2.80m
Displacement ... ... ... 13,780kg
Ballast ... .. ... 4300kg
Sail area:
Mainsail.............. 68.60sq m
Genoa.............. 70.10sq m
Spinnaker.......... 160sq m
Construction: Solid GRP hull, reinforced by longitudinals and local reinforcements in high load areas, with structural inner hull and deck mouldings bonded and laminated into place. Infusion moulded deck of sandwich GRP/balsa/polyester resin. Mixed lead/cast iron keel with lead and antimony bulb and hollow keel fin, fixed to the hull using stainless steel bolts and backing plates. Composite rudder of GRP/foam with rudder stock of biaxial and unidirectional cloth.
Fuel capacity......................237lt
Water capacity....................................568lt
Engine..........................................Yanmar 75hp marine diesel sail drive with three-bladed folding propeller
Base price: $756,000 ex sails & instruments; $925,000 as tested
Designer: Philippe Briand
Builder: Chantiers Beneteau, Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez, France, www.beneteau.com.
Australian distributor: Vicsail, Rushcutters Bay, NSW. Tel (02) 9327 2088; or visit www.vicsail.com 

Finally! A Design/Build firm that offers IN-HOUSE Interior Design services for your luxury custom built home…

Read article : Finally! A Design/Build firm that offers IN-HOUSE Interior Design services for your luxury custom built home…

Congratulations! You have made the decision to build your “dream” home!” Now what? Before you select your design-build firm, make sure that the firm you choose not only fits your budget and style, but also offers professional interior design services.

According to Brent Paquin, Paquin Design/Build, the firm you choose should have an interior designer on staff who works closely with you and the design-build team. What better way to get the look and feel you want, than to work with the experts from the very beginning?

The interior designer will begin with pre-build interior concept drawings. They then will work with you to design room layout and furniture placement plans and to determine what custom millwork and built-in designs work best with your vision.

But, what is your vision? Do you know exactly what you want, but need help with the details? Alternatively, do you have a general idea and need help to see it come to life? Be sure the interior designer you choose LISTENS to you and “GETS” your vision, be it detailed already or a general idea you need help with to flush out. After all, they should be your partner and create space that reflects your personality!

Once you and the interior designer have a good idea of how your dream home will look, it’s time for the full interior design to include:

• Details
• Kitchen and Bath cabinetry
• Architectural moldings
• Fireplace and mantel design
• Built-ins

And, what about colors? Your interior designer will help with color selection, decorative and unique finishes, and wallpaper specifications so that your “dream” home is as unique as you are! Next comes the furniture! Does your firm have relationships with trade-only resources so your finished product is truly custom-designed? Do they offer turnkey installations?

Be sure your interior designer helps you specify type/finish/color for the shades/blinds that will greet you in each room. Do you prefer drapes or curtains? The interior designer will help you choose just the right fabrics in just the right shade! They also will help you decide between custom or ready-made bedding.

Ready to complete the look? It’s time to choose special hardware, rugs, artwork, and decorative accessories.

Don’t forget your outdoor living spaces! Be it style of outdoor furniture to cushion colors, flower pots, and sculptures, the “interior” designer can also help with the exterior design.

Brent Paquin notes the importance of working with interior designers who have attained the highest level of professionalism and maintain their membership in the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).

Paquin Design/Build’s own Interior Designer and Client Liaison, Dawn Crovo, is an Allied Member of ASID and earned her degrees from the University of Maryland and the CCBC in Baltimore, MD.

To learn more visit www.paquindesignbuild.com

To contact Dawn directly: mailto:[email protected]

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Design| Build Open House

Attention all those who are planning on building a custom home soon!

Paquin Design/Build will be  hosting an Open House with three homes on Tuesday, September 25th. You will get the opportunity to meet Dawn and the whole Paquin Design/Build design team!

This is extremely advance notice! If you would like to attend, please contact [email protected]

Wondering where the comments are? We encourage you to use the share buttons below and start the conversation on your own!

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Target's Nicollet Mall store makeover gives glimpse into plan to retool stores

Read article : Target's Nicollet Mall store makeover gives glimpse into plan to retool stores

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A new, red bull’s-eye prominently marks the spot on Nicollet Mall where Target’s efforts to retool its stores for the digital age are on full display.

Inside the buzzing store next to the retailer’s headquarters, the company has redesigned and upgraded everything from the fitting rooms to the online pickup counter and the grocery department.

“This is the most ambitious redesign in my 22 years at Target,” said Joe Perdew, who leads Target’s store design team that includes 170 architects, engineers, interior design and fixtures specialists.

The old vinyl tile flooring has been replaced by more modern, polished concrete. The corners of aisles are curved to be more inviting. The mannequins now look more like, well, real people and represent sizes that range from 4 to 22.

And the fluorescent lights overhead have been replaced with LED ones, including many specialty lighting treatments that bring more warmth than glare. Beacons are embedded inside each light fixture enabling customers to open a map in the Target app, locate themselves in the form of a blue dot and find nearby Cartwheel deals.

The downtown Minneapolis store, which will celebrate the completion of its $10 million makeover on Wednesday, features many of the bells and whistles that Target is in the midst of rolling out to hundreds of stores nationwide. The redesigns are a key strategy to revitalize sales along with investing in technology, the supply chain and new brands.

In the past, big-box stores like Target were organized with efficiency in mind as planners looked at how to best put as much stuff as they could on shelves. That’s still an important consideration, but there are others now, too.

“It’s more about experience,” said Perdew, who added that experience accounted for about 5 percent of the previous store design, but contributed to about 20 percent in the new plan. “It’s about the physical, digital and human elements you want to offer up that help make it all come to life.”

For example, the next-generation prototype store Target will open outside of Houston later this year has seven nooks where it will cross-merchandise products — spaces where it will display a total outfit with accessories or a complete living room setting to provide inspiration. Target also is changing the store layout in some stores from a “split” where apparel is on one side and essentials on the other to a “wrap” where apparel is spread across the center of the store and everything else is arranged around it.

“Those changes add additional dwell time in an area, and that begins to change the psychology of the visit from just an in-and-out trip,” said Sandy Stein, a Twin Cities-based retail analyst who spent his career in store design. “It elevates the experience — there’s something different. There’s something special.”

And it’s something that can’t be easily replicated online, he said.

A sweeping effort

Of course, remodeling stores is nothing new in the retail world. But Target had slowed its efforts over the last decade as it focused on adding groceries, a short-lived expansion into Canada and rolling out smaller stores. In the meantime, executives acknowledged that many stores became tired and outdated.

While many retailers are closing stores this year, Target is pouring in billions of dollars to refresh more than a third of its 1,800 stores in the next few years. For every store that is remodeled, Target expects a 2 to 4 percent sales lift.

Executives told investors last week that Target will accelerate the pace of remodels to 300 next year. This year, the retailer is redoing 110 stores, including its Midway store in St. Paul and the St. Louis Park store at Hwy. 100; 436 stores are receiving smaller updates such as the addition of self checkout lanes or a new Starbucks.

The average remodel will cost about $5 million, not as extensive as that of the Nicollet Mall store. And each one will differ based on the needs and volume of the store.

“It’s hard to overstate how different what we’re doing today is to what we did in the past where we just stamped out prototype stores,” said John Mulligan, Target’s chief operating officer.

At the same time, Aldi is also renovating many stores.

And Walmart is in the midst of a multibillion-dollar effort to refresh about 500 stores a year. Those remodels include spiffing up the electronics department with more attractive display tables and adding more farmers market-type bins to the grocery department, said Anne Hatfield, a Walmart spokeswoman.

Still, Walmart’s remodels are not as dramatic or sweeping as Target’s, said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail.

Still, he said Target could be even more innovative with the remodels. After all, Amazon is experimenting with a store concept without a checkout lane.

“This is a good starting point,” he said. “But it’s not just about tidying up for today. You have to think ahead five to 10 years.”

The cosmetic changes, he added, don’t mask some of Target’s other shortcomings such as continued problems with out-of-stock items and its grocery department.

A place to show off

Now that the two-level Nicollet Mall store has had a top-to-bottom makeover, its first since it opened in 2001, it’s once again a flagship for Target and a place the retailer can show off to its many vendor partners.

As Perdew walked around the store last week, he made a mental list of small things he wanted to tweak or change. But he also saw a lot he liked, starting with the remodeled Starbucks cafe and the 71-foot-long curved LED screen above the skyway level entrance that can be seen from the street.

An eye-popping mural on the second floor designed by a local artist includes icons from the company’s — and city’s — past from Prince to the Dayton brothers who founded Target.

Perdew pointed out the wood treatments and specialty lighting throughout the store.

“They bring in warmth throughout the check lanes and entry experience so it’s more like a foyer instead of a mudroom — that’s the goal,” he said. “It’s amazing what lighting can do.”

This is the first store in the chain to get a new “gift-and-go” section near the entrance. Through Sept. 3, it’s featuring Minnesota-made products such as Peace Coffee, Sota Clothing, North Mallow Marshmallows and Da Bomb Bath Fizzers as part of a localization test. The area will be changed out with other themes and products about once a month to highlight seasonal products for occasions such as Valentine’s Day.

Fresh produce and grab-and-go meals, with more attractive displays, have been moved to the front of the store. It also has one of the newer Sephora-like beauty layouts that will be in 70 stores by the end of the year, which has huge digital screens behind it displaying videos and images to draw more visual interest.

And a soundtrack with upbeat, catchy tunes also has been added, playing over the store’s speakers.

“If you don’t have music, the sound is shopping carts that rattle, kids screaming at their mothers, people on phones, that kind of stuff,” Perdew said. “So the music makes sense. You want to make sure you’re activating all five senses when you’re creating an experience in stores.”

Also being added to stores: employees with handheld devices who can see if there are different sizes or colors online and have the product shipped to the customer’s home. Two employees are in each of 100 stores now, and the service will be chain-wide by the holidays.