DeGeneres to lead reality design program
Popular talk-show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres, who is known for her passion for architecture and design, will produce a six-episode design competition for HGTV.
“Ellen’s Design Challenge,â€� which is scheduled to premiere in 2015, will feature “six competitors as they tackle ingenious challenges to sketch, design and build extraordinary furniture in just 24 hours.â€�
“I’m so excited about this show because I love finding really special pieces of furniture,â€� says DeGeneres in a statement released by HGTV. “One time, I found a beautiful, one-of-a-kind armoire that spoke to me in a way I’d never experienced. It turned out there was a drifter living inside of it, but that’s a story for another time.â€�
Like similar reality programming, such as “Project Runway,� would-be designers will attempt to create furnishings with the help of a master carpenter as they race against the clock and face various design challenges.
Lynne A. Davis, vice president of national broadcast media and talent relations for HGTV and DIY Network, said in an email that DeGeneres would be involved in the series, with details of her participation announced “at an upcoming date.�
The winning designer will get a cash prize.
App makes finding home info a snap
Homesnap works as easily for inexperienced buyers as it does for those further along in the buying process. Users take a photo of a home with their smartphone, and the app instantly generates a variety of data, including the most recent sale price, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, a tax assessment and school boundaries. The data available vary according to how recently the home sold or whether it’s listed for sale.
“You can use it for something as casual as snapping a photo of a friend’s house to see what he paid for his new home, or more seriously when you’re looking for a home,â€� says Guy Wolcott, chief executive of Homesnap. “You can use it collaboratively and send the photo and data with your mobile device to your brother, your wife or your real-estate agent.â€�
Wolcott says real-estate agents are also using the app to interact with their buyers or to get information on a property. Buyers can see the same information as agents, such as photos, how long a property has been on the market and school information, including ratings.
Matthew Rathbun, a Realtor and executive vice president with Coldwell Banker Elite in Fredericksburg, Va., uses Homesnap to find out the history of homes.
Garden Mart at Old Economy Village
Old Economy Village will have its annual Garden Mart from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 17.
The event is in the 19th-century formal gardens at the historic village in Ambridge. Heirloom tomatoes and other plants from the site’s greenhouse will be available, along with items from nine other vendors.
Admission to the event and the gardens is free.
Details: 724-266-4500 or www.oldeconomyvillage.org
New sunflower is pollen-free
Shock o Lat is a new sunflower variety that produces large, chocolate-colored, pollen-free flowers.
The dark-brown flower has honey-gold petal tips and a gold halo around the central seed head.
The mature plant reaches 6 feet tall and spreads about 18 inches wide, with several flower stems.
A packet of 50 seeds is available for $3.95 from Park Seed.
Details: 800-845-3369 or www.parkseed.com
— Staff and wire reports
Send Homework items to Features in care of Sue Jones, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, D.L. Clark Building, 503 Martindale St., Pittsburgh, PA 15212; fax 412-320-7966; or email sjones@tribweb.com.
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