Tired of hearing the same old stand-by solutions for making a room look bigger? So is Jeffrey Blum of SixZero6 Design in New York City. “Hanging a mirror may give the impression of more space, but it also doubles the clutter by reflecting every single object that’s already in the room,” Blum says. That’s why he tells his clients, most of whom live in New York City in tight quarters, to pause before following conventional space-enhancing tricks. “It may be true that big furniture works in a small space but that can backfire if the furniture is too over-sized and poofy,” he says. “Keep large pieces slim for a look that’s not just larger, but more open.” Full List: 8 New Ways To Make Your ... Continue reading →
Wisconsin banks reported their highest earnings for the first quarter in four years, and more of the banks in the state were profitable than in any quarter since March 2008.Only 8.1 percent FDIC-insured Wisconsin banks, had a loss in the quarter that ended March 31, according to statistics released Thursday by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. That's down from 12.9 percent for the same period last year.Guaranty Bank, Milwaukee, reported the biggest net loss, of $5.7 million. AnchorBank, Madison, was 10th from the bottom with a net loss of $143,000 for the first quarter, an improvement from a year ago when it had the second-largest loss in the state at $14.3 million.Associated Bank, Green Bay, had the highest earnings in the January-March quarter at $49.1 ... Continue reading →
Los Angeles In the 1989 action movie "Lethal Weapon 2," Mel Gibson's character hitches a striking Hollywood Hills home to his pickup truck with cables and accelerates, dragging the home down the hill. It's a fantasy occasionally shared by the home's real-life owners, John McIlwee and Bill Damaschke. Photos: Reviving a Hollywood Icon Ethan Pines for The Wall Street Journal Built in 1962 the home sits on stilts 60 feet above the canyon ground. After paying $1.3 million for the 2,300-square-foot home, the couple plunged into a complex, multiyear renovation that cost roughly $1 million more—at one point Mr. McIlwee camped out in a sleeping bag to oversee construction. Maintenance for the unusually constructed home is constant, and can be a chore. But the couple ... Continue reading →
Steel magnate Leroy Schecter has put his home on Miami Beach's Indian Creek Island on the market for $45 million. Candace Jackson has details on The News Hub. Photo: Nelson Gonzalez/EWM Realtors. Leroy Schecter, chairman of steel manufacturing company Marino/Ware Industries, has put his Miami Beach, Fla., home on the market for $45 million. Located on Indian Creek Island, a gated village on a private island with a golf course, the nearly 2-acre property has 200 feet of waterfront. The 21,746-square-foot home was built in 2000 and has seven bedrooms and 14 bathrooms. There is also a library, billiard room, yoga room and a seven-car garage. An infinity pool has a cabana house with two bathrooms as well as steam and massage rooms. Photos: Private ... Continue reading →
Tired of hearing the same old stand-by solutions for making a room look bigger? So is Jeffrey Blum of SixZero6 Design in New York City. “Hanging a mirror may give the impression of more space, but it also doubles the clutter by reflecting every single object that’s already in the room,” Blum says. That’s why he tells his clients, most of whom live in New York City in tight quarters, to pause before following conventional space-enhancing tricks. “It may be true that big furniture works in a small space but that can backfire if the furniture is too over-sized and poofy,” he says. “Keep large pieces slim for a look that’s not just larger, but more open.” Full List: 8 New Ways To Make Your ... Continue reading →
