Luke Judge

I rode with friends as we passed houses both derelict and inhabited. Buildings sagged and loose shutters blew lazily in the sea breeze. The ocean roared along the beach. A man was on his riding mower. Another walked by a motel that was still in business. he eyed us warily. I don’t blame him.

I was in a very special place; some would call it holy. The bare history of American Beach is simple and poignant. American Beach was founded in 1935 by Florida’s first black millionaire, Abraham Lincoln Lewis, and his Afro-American Life Insurance Co.

American Beach is located just north of Jacksonville Beach on Amelia Island in Nassau County. The beach was highly popular with African-American vacationers. during the time of segregation and the Jim Crow era, African-Americans were not allowed to swim at beaches in Jacksonville, and several black-only areas were created. American Beach was the largest and most popular.

Lewis wanted his employees to have a place to vacation and to own homes for their families by the shore. Throughout the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s, summers at American Beach were busy with families, churches and children. The beach included hotels, restaurants, bathhouses and night clubs as well as homes and other businesses.

The beach also saw its share of famous Florida hurricanes. One storm, Dora, came ashore in 1964, and many structures were destroyed. Ironically, the passage of the Civil Rights Act the same year desegregated the beaches of Florida, and American Beach became a less popular vacation destination as all beaches were now open.

Most of the aforementioned information came from Wikipedia, and the history is clear. What Wikipedia or a television documentary cannot give you is the “feel” of American Beach as it is now. Half is ghost town, and the other half clings to a bygone era. It must be seen to truly know it.

The sensation one has being there is complex. My first thought was that good and evil “rassled” here. Think of it. American citizens at one time were not allowed to swim on their own country’s beaches. Black people were not allowed.

Thanks to a black American, Abraham Lincoln Lewis, black citizens could go and feel at home, buy a house, stay in a motel/hotel. Good won out. There was triumph. yet, how was segregation even allowed at all in America, “the land of the free”?

The Civil Rights Act may not have been kind to American Beach, but to black Americans it was a doorway to the future.

My buddy pulled the car up to the old, white painted building and parked. Beside the two-floor “social club” stood a palmetto as ragged as the paint-peeled building. The wind played through its fronds like a harp.

It was hard to believe this building once played host to some of the greatest black entertainers the world ever saw: Billie Daniels, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Billy Eckstein, among others.

Yes, good and evil once battled here. and still does. American Beach stands between two wealthy developments. Developers eye American Beach greedily. American Beach is now considered an eyesore. Lawyers for the developments have done their best to gobble up the old town.

Who do you think came to the rescue?

None other than Abraham Lincoln Lewis’ great-granddaughter, MaVynee Betsch. she returned to American Beach in 1977 to fight for its preservation.

With no lawyers and very little material resources, she fought the developers until the day she died in 2005.

Will the beach survive the greed? Let us hope so, for American Beach stands as a symbol. A symbol of the time when America was divided between whites and blacks. when black citizens fought for the right to simply enjoy a day at the seaside with their families. was this too much to ask?

It was until 1964. that day began America’s long, hard crawl out of the swamp of fear, ignorance, racism and evil.

Has America arrived at equality? Not yet, but it was at American Beach that I remembered an old story about the old black preacherman. His congregation had just experienced a church-wide revival and soul saving. he said unto them, “Brethren, we have come as a body to God Almighty today. Now, it is true we ain’t what we could be! and it is true we ain’t what we should be! But sweet Jesus, praise God, we ain’t what we was!”

Thank you, American Beach, for reminding me of just how far our beloved nation has progressed.

America is a long way from being perfect, but sweet Jesus and praise God, we ain’t what we was!

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Whatever you do, always look at other interiors, at textiles, clothing, and painting, and take your lead from those you like.

Blue with green, for example, is perfectly acceptable. You may seek guidance in color theory, but understanding the spectrum and how to mix paint will not be much help in choosing which colors to use, although it can explain why certain color combination behave in the way they do.

These are simply ways of applying and manipulating paint to create a range of surface texture. The end result will always have a quality that cannot be matched by any wallpaper.

Roger King has been involved with

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CUSTOMER REVIEWS

Used for a different purpose.

I actually cut the shower curtain in strips to be used as valances on tall windows of a fellowship hall. The theme was a 1960′s / 70′s dinner and the pattern fit well- along with tie dye,smiley face tablecloths. Used the rugs that came with the package in the ladies room. Made our event very…

Bright and Colorful

I bought this set for my kids bathroom, and it is cute but has a few flaws. The lines on the material are not straight and the rug is starting to fray after just one wash. It was very inexpensive so you get what you pay for, but it is pretty and will do for now.

DAISY SHOWER CURTAIN SET

THIS IS SO PRETTY AND COLORFUL.JUST GOOD ENOUGH FOR A TEENAGE GIRL THAT CAN HAVE FRESH COLORS IN HER BATHROOM.IT WAS A REALLY GOOD PRICE AND THE QUALITY IS NOT THAT BAD AT ALL.

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It ‘s really a challenge when you’re on a budget but want the most beautiful house with new window treatments. You can search tends to cheap money trying to find ways only the large amount of tents right by one. Or you can search for cheap curtains on the Internet. There are many online stores offer great window treatments of all types and styles.

Overstock dot com is one of the best places to get the bestPrice on curtains for your home. Tends Overstock offers below $ 15 to $ 60, in lengths from 84 inches to 96 inches. These curtains are inexpensive velvet, micro-suede, chamois, ultra-suede, canvas, metro faux leather, silk, faux silk lined with raw silk, silk Dynasty, signature velvet, heavy denim, cotton voile, and many others. These curtains are beautiful and the right price, the closest budget.

Garlands Galore is another online storeTents possible, where prices are found in deep discount. They offer plans tab, rod pocket panels, valances, levels and garlands, scarf panels, Ascots / Tassels, fabric shades, country style curtains, drapes and pinch pleats, just to name a few. Versions available: semi-shears and curtains, curtains, lace, satin, silk, velvet, casual, thermal insulation and lined, and tapestries. Prices range from $ 4.99 and up

Wal-Mart’s online store has large tents at affordable prices andSpecial price for online shoppers. They offer many fabrics such as velvet, chenille, cotton, silk and blends, among others. They offer different styles and colors to coordinate any room. Prices start at about $ 9 and go from there. Stop by and see what they have to offer those on a budget.

Wild Orchid, an online store based in the UK, beautiful and special tents at great prices and many offer free shipping. Their hearts pink curtainssale of cotton organza white embroidered pink and have a heart, the two panels of 63 inches for $ 27. They also offer these tents with blue stars, pearls, and instead of the heart at various prices comparable.

Wild Orchid also offers hand-painted butterflies with curtains for a great price, and velvet curtains for about $ 45 per couple. If you are looking for the unusual, check and see the quality of their tents and cheap compare to others of the same type(If you can find them elsewhere.) Cheap tents are easy to find if an Internet search on the Internet.

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If you are interested to provide your home with extra warmth without having to buy the wood blinds, you may choose the faux ones. The faux blinds are more resistant and they can be the right answer for you. They are made of resistant materials and they can convince you of their quality especially if you are already concerned with the wood damage.   Even there are now many providers providing cheaper faux wood blinds or discount faux wood blinds for homeowner who has very limited budget.   The discount faux wood blinds may become your best choice especially if you do not want to spend a fortune in order to provide your beloved home with extra warmth. Such faux wood blinds have been designed in order to be used in rooms with extreme humidity. For instance, you can use them in your bathroom or kitchen. They will not warp and they are also stain resistant. These features should convince you that the faux blinds can make the difference for the way your home looks without having to waste your money. The faux blinds are made of composite wood or PVC. So they are heavier than the ones made of wood, yet faux wood blinds are easy to clean and manage. They will come in a wide range of shades and colors. You can rely on the way they look because they are likely to look like real wood and it will be hard for you to notice the difference. They can also be custom designed. For instance, you can have them customized with light control, viewable areas or sleek look. The material from which they are made is strong and very durable. You will find it easy to clean and maneuver. It does not warp either and you will be quite satisfied when seeing that the discount faux wood blinds are very resistant and do not fade. For instance, you can try and cover their surface with an extra UV protector in order to maintain their color for a longer period of time. The UV inhibitor can be used in order to protect the blinds from the excessive exposure to sunlight. This UV covering will transform your blinds and make them resist for a lifetime without having to replace them. Therefore, you should become aware that your initial investment will be paid off in no time and you will not have to worry about your blinds anymore. Such blinds can also resist high temperatures. The extremes will be handled and you can use them in order to decorate every room of your house. The discount faux wood blinds have their own advantages when compared to the usual discount wood blinds. For instance, the faux blinds are likely to be less expensive than the ones made from wood. So, you should consider buying such blinds in order to provide yourself with extra savings. These blinds are more durable and you should think about this when wondering about the right type of blinds that can fit your house best. For instance, the faux blinds are not likely to split, crack or warp at extreme temperatures. So, if you are living in a humid state, you should consider purchasing the discount faux wood blinds because this is the wisest choice you can make when thinking about decorating your house. Such blinds can save the homeowner a lot of heartache without having to spend a fortune in order to decorate his house. The faux blinds are easier to clean when compared to the discount wood blinds. For instance, you can use a bathtub full of soapy water and dip the blinds in it in order to clean them. But you must not try this when you have wood blinds because you are very likely to damage their structure for good. You may rest assured because you are not likely to give up when it comes to the decorating standpoint. On the contrary, the faux blinds are likely to come in the same options as the ones made of wood and they look great too. Therefore, you should take your time and start shopping around in order to find out about the available options that can be found online.

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• March 28, 2010 — Why Choose the Discount Wood Blinds (0)
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• March 16, 2010 — Save Your Money With the Discount Faux Wood Blinds (0)
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These are wonderful!!!What a fantastic buy.The quality is very nice as well

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My previous two articles have offered ideas for window treatments for standard window types, such as patio doors and other typical sizes as well as skylights and sidelights.  This article will offer ideas for French doors and other door windows, and large windows which can sometimes be problematic.

Let’s begin with window treatment ideas for French doors.  One of my all time favorites for these types of doors are wood blinds.  I think that they really accentuate and coordinate well with the look of French doors.  Wood blinds are generally made with basswood and come in a variety of stains and paints. So finding the right color scheme to match your doors isn’t very hard.  For doors, you’ll need to choose one inch wood blinds, which is a generally a better fit for smaller windows with their minimal mounting depth – you don’t want the blind hardware sticking out beyond the window casing.  Another good choice for French doors is roller shades.  Roller shades have come a long way since the days when your Grandmother might have had the old vinyl variety in her kitchen window.  Today’s roller shades offer contemporary, elegant looks and come in a wide variety of opacities (from sheer to blackout), colors and even fabric choices.  Roller shades are the perfect choice if you want to choose how much light gets filtered into your room and to preserve your views.  Next up are sheer shades, which are a versatile and elegant choice for French doors; versatile because they are like two shades in one combining the functionality of a blind with the soft light filtering of shades.  Sheer shades for doors have horizontal blinds (fabric vanes) with two sheer fabric facings over the fabric vanes.   When the vanes are open the sheer fabric offers soft light-filtering and when closed offer privacy and light dimming.

Choosing the right window treatments for oversized windows can be tricky, though there are quite a few choices.  One of my favorite choices for oversized window is panel track blinds, which I mentioned in my first article.  Panel track blinds are kind of like vertical blinds but with larger panels in fabric, woven woods, solar shade and a few other materials.  They are mounted on an aluminum track and slide open and shut, that is why they are sometimes called sliding panels.  Panel tracks are unique and contemporary and come in colors and materials to compliment any décor.  Another choice for very large windows is vertical blinds.  But to make it interesting, look into some of the other material options that are available like fabric, solar shades or even cellular.   Two other options for oversized windows are roman shades and cellular shades.  If you are interested in adding insulation to your room, either of these are a good choice.  Cellular shades are inherently energy efficient and roman shades can be purchased with an insulating liner.  Luxurious and elegant, roman shades come in a very wide variety of colors, fabrics and styles so they are by far the most expansive choice for your decorating needs.  Cellular shades also come in a wide variety of colors as well as pleat sizes.  Last but not least, you can always look into drapes for oversized windows.  Drapes are the classic choice and come in just about every color, pattern and fabric imaginable. 

Other possible choices to consider are sheer shades which, for very large windows come with vertical vanes covered on one side with a sheer fabric facing.  Sheer shades are elegant and versatile and offer privacy when the slats are closed and soft light filtering when opened.

If you are looking for french door window treatments, such as wood blinds, or window treatments for large picture windows, I hope this helped.  Good luck and happy decorating. – David Brooks

David Brooks is a freelance SEO consultant based in San Diego, CA.

Curtains & Blinds time favorites, vanes, window treatment ideas

Curtains, drapes or blinds for your window, decisions, decisions.

You’ve just moved into a new house or apartment, or maybe you’ve just decorated, but the problem is the same, a great big picture window or even a cute little window, naked as the day it was made just waiting for a beautiful dressing.

So whether you have a bare bedroom, bathroom or kitchen window, what are your options?

Let’s go into your lounge and take a look at your huge patio door or picture window.

You could go with vertical blinds, they’re certainly practical but where’s the style and beauty?

No, what you really want are gorgeous drapes, the sort that make your friends and neighbours drool with envy.

Perhaps you’ve had a price for these curtains in the past and nearly fainted, they don’t come cheap, but why are they so expensive?

To a certain extent it’s the cost of the fabric but the bulk of the price is in the labour needed to make them up, and don’t forget the shop adds a percentage as well.

What if I told you there is a way you could save 75% of the price, would that make a difference? You bet it would.

But where or how could you make that sort of saving?

The same place I do, at home, by making them yourself.

Before you say ‘I’m no good at sewing’ or ‘I really wouldn’t know where to start’, it isn’t rocket science, it’s just knowledge which you haven’t acquired yet.

Just think of the benefits:

Your money goes much further, instead of dressing just one window you can afford to dress four for the same cost;

You’ll have a huge pride in the finished job, and best of all you can have them now, no waiting around weeks, or even months, for your job to be made and delivered.

Now you’re thinking ‘ok, I’m sold, but where can I go to learn this new skill?’

This is where I come in, I’ve been making curtains for the best part of 30 years and now I’ve started to train others, just like you, in the art of curtain making.

Through my website I market a growing range of ebooks that detail, by way of actual photographs and captions, every single step.

But the best part is you’re not on your own, if you run into a problem or there’s something you don’t understand then ask me – try doing that with a hard-back book author!

And if that’s not enough then I’ll upload a video that’ll show the solution to your problem area in even greater detail.

With the power of the internet, my help and your resolve that you can do this there will be no stopping you.

Look through a magazine and decide what you would like and go for it, you won’t regret it.

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All Rooms Should Have Different Colored Curtains:

Domicile window curtains are an ingenious way to perk up home decor submission resourcefulness in designer fabrics and modern styles. Use store-bought window healing ideas to draw attention to the attractive elements of a window, such as the view. Or disguise less than advantageous characteristics, such as a window that is too wide or too narrow or not quite square. If the view is a repulsive wall, use a curtain that can become the decorating feature.

For more reserved areas in the home such as dining and living rooms, lined drapes and custom window treatments afford an elaborate look. A lining allows the curtain to drape nicely it also has insulating properties and is better able to filter out light for room darkening. If tie backs are used make sure to add superfluous inches to the measurements depending on how much fabric gathers above the twine.

Stub top curtain panels are a popular modern-day drawing whether as floor measurement lengthwise panels or made as valances that frame windows. Rod pocket over and done with designed from lightweight lace and voile or heavier weight velvet can be softly pleated or gathered on curtain rods. When you are looking for bedroom curtains, be sure that you take into consideration the style and color of the curtains that you are wanting to hang. This is important, and you will want your bedroom to be pleasing to the eye, as well as at ease. Make sure that you decide which design style you are going with, before you head out the door to go shopping for curtains. Knowing in advance which direction you are leaning towards on design, will help you immeasurably when you get to the hoard to pick and desire.

If you have a room with windows that meet at a corner, you can always opt for bay poles. These are poles that curve with the corner so that you don’t have to have a break between the curtains of each window. Bay Poles allow the curtain to slide fluidly from one window, through the curve of the corner, over to the contiguous window. Track Curtains offer a completely different style than Pole Curtains. The track is not generally part of the design and is usually made in such a way that it is completely covered by the curtain whether open or pinched shut. Track curtains [homecurtainsonline.com/category/beaded-curtains] are ideal for layered curtains and have the benefit of being controlled by a draw cord. People often use track the end for a more ceremonial look.

It is important to remember that you want your scope to be inviting, not overshadowing. Choosing tepid and subtle colors that pick up the color scheme of your furniture will only enhance the over all look of your room.

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Winter can be a beautiful season, but its pleasures are often best enjoyed from the warm interior of our homes. That’s where beautiful bow windows come in. You can sit by the window, comfy and warm on cushions, hot cocoa in hand, all the while watching snowflakes fall or the cardinals and chickadees at the birdfeeder. So, if you have a room that seems to need “something” and you have been planning a renovation that involves replacement windows, consider some of the many benefits of installing a room expanding bow window.

Bow windows are perfect for living rooms, kitchens, sitting rooms, dining rooms, or even master bedrooms. Consisting of a series of four, five, or six identical windows, the bow window gently curves out from a wall, creating a kind of panoramic effect on the view outdoors while offering convenient and gracefully curved seating or floor space indoors. The addition of a bow window actually extends room size, but it also appears to bring the outdoors in without the expense of a sunroom. Your room will be awash with natural light.

And contrary to popular opinion, an expanse of glass in a stylish bow window does not make a room cold. In fact, new advances in glass and framing technologies actually make this energy efficient home remodel a smart idea.

Low-E (low-emissivity) is a thin layer of transparent metallic material that’s applied to window glass for insulating purposes. Renewal by Andersen windows, for example, have nine layers of metallic materials. This Low-E coating helps to prevent heat loss in your home by acting as reflective shield, pushing radiant heat that tries to pass through the glass back to the source it originates from. That means, come winter, the metallic coating holds warm air generated in your house inside, preventing it from escaping out through the glass. The result is a warm and cozy room-with an impressive view!

So while there is more “window” in your room, today’s window glass meets or exceeds all of the rigorous energy-efficiency standards as set out by federal regulations through the Energy Star ratings. If you have been following some of my previous articles, you will know that the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) energy performance label can help you determine how well your windows will perform in terms of their U-factor, SHGC, how they block out wind, and resist condensation.

Concerned about drafts? Air can rush in through gaps between the window frames and wall, as well as between the window frame and glass window panes. Today’s major window manufacturers have created some amazing new composites for window frames that boast great insulating properties, so multiple side-by-side windows won’t let in any drafts.

Wood and vinyl hybrids like Fibrex from Renewal Windows (made by Andersen) have half the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) of regular vinyl and are much closer to a home’s wood framing. The CTE describes how the size of an object changes with a change in temperature.

You may ask why that matters. If a window frame reacts to changes in temperature differently than the wall where it is attached, then small gaps are created that increase over time and allow drafts in. Wood and vinyl composite window frames respond to changes in temperature very similar to the way your house does; they expand and contract together as the weather changes. That means no gaps or cracks will appear, so your windows stay airtight and foggy windows will be a thing of the past.

So let the cold winds blow! Between today’s composite window frames and Low-E glass technology, your house will stay comfortable all winter long, and you can significantly cut your energy bills while you’re enjoying the view.

As an added bonus, today’s composites offer the real look of wood, both inside and out, so the exterior of your home will also benefit from the addition of a beautiful bow window. Now, all you have to do to make the picture complete is get your landscape in order!

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