Home Improvement News

10 things you need to design a stylish outdoor oasis for summer

By Phil M. Sinha 6 days ago
<span class="copyright">(Ross May / Los Angeles Times; Getty Images)</span>
(Ross May / Los Angeles Times; Getty Images)

Summer will look different this year as we continue to shelter in place. Now, when warmer weather hits, many of our favorite places to cool off won’t be open. Outdoor living, whether a balcony or patio or backyard, will have new meaning as we seek solace in the outdoors. So if you are lucky enough to have some outdoor space, we have some ideas for making it special, and we’ve included some images from our photo archives for inspiration.

A Hollywood front porch is transformed into a stylish outdoor room with a recycled plastic rug from Mad Mats. <span class="copyright">(Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)</span>
A Hollywood front porch is transformed into a stylish outdoor room with a recycled plastic rug from Mad Mats. (Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)

1. Recycled rugs

Outdoor rugs are a great way to add style while helping to define your “outdoor room.” Sustainable rugs made from recycled plastic work well outdoors because they are colorful, pet-friendly and washable. Available in

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Lighting and Outdoor Space Were Key to Transforming This New Construction Home

By Phil M. Sinha 6 days ago

When Shanty Wijaya of Allprace Properties decided to take on her latest project—a modern farmhouse in L.A.’s historic Jefferson Park neighborhood—she wanted to create a calming atmosphere with an intrinsic outdoor-indoor living situation inspired by the California-cool neighborhood it was built in.

“This neighborhood is known for its Craftsman-style homes, filled with character and history,” says Shanty. “The layout was very closed off and the finishes were uninspiring. The landscaping was completely bare, unappealing, and empty. Our goal was to transform this standard new build into a character-filled Craftsman-style home that blended nicely into the charming neighborhood.” Working with a theme of modern farmhouse and Craftsman style, she completely restored the newly built 2,000-square-foot home, which includes four bedrooms and three bathrooms on a 5,076-square-foot lot.

<div class="caption"> <strong>BEFORE:</strong> Shanty says that landscaping was one of the most difficult tasks of the transformation. “When we designed and landscaped the project, it was winter and most of the plants were still dormant. It was difficult to find tall, mature plants that had a full appearance, which is the look we were going for. We wanted to make sure that the homeowner could enjoy an outdoor, private <a href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/creating-your-own-edible-garden?mbid=synd_yahoo_rss" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:oasis" class="link rapid-noclick-resp">oasis</a>, and we were able to get the desired look for the landscaping, which I am very proud of.” </div>
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ASID’s CEO Departs, GE Lighting Acquired by Savant, and More News This Week

By Phil M. Sinha 6 days ago

From significant business changes to noteworthy product launches, there’s always something new happening in the world of design. In this weekly roundup, AD PRO has everything you need to know.

Business

Savant to Acquire GE Lighting

Smart home tech company Savant Systems, Inc. made waves this week by announcing that it had inked a deal to buy General Electric Lighting. Savant plans to capitalize on GE Lighting’s brand name while expanding its products’ capabilities thanks to their own technologies. The news also marks a notable divestiture for American mega-company GE.

Home Furnishings Startup Closes Major Funding During COVID-19 Crisis

Fernish, the Los Angeles startup that rents home furnishings, recently closed its Series A round of funding amid the COVID-19 crisis. The company raised $15 million via round participants including RET Ventures; Spencer Rascoff, a cofounder of Zillow; and Fred Tuomi, former CEO of home-rental company Invitation Homes. The startup,

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Computers tracking fraud forced to adapt to public’s new lockdown spending

By Phil M. Sinha 1 week ago

Coronavirus Article Bar with counter

When the coronavirus pandemic struck, closing down economies and travel in a way no-one had thought possible, humans had to adapt fast.

But it was not just people who needed to learn a new way of life, with the artificial intelligence systems upon which so much industry survives also requiring a little helping hand to come to terms with the dramatic shifts.

It has emerged that many AI systems which control inventory, marketing, retail and even fraud needed tweaking because they could not compute why the lives on which they made their predictions had changed so much.

Fraud detection services were among those that had to be told that a surge in purchase of power tools were simply people doing lockdown DIY.

And as top searches on Amazon switched from Lego and phone chargers to hand sanitizer and face masks, the company appeared

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