Remodeling: Looking for something new for your next project? We found 16 great products around the floor of the combined Remodeling Show, DeckExpo, and JLC Live event in Chicago last week with creative applications for interiors and exteriors. Take a look and let us know what you think
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Most of these innovations, while undoubtedly exciting to those in the housing/remodeling industry are just inefficient for theatre where for our purposes the “genuine article” is often harder to work with, more expensive, and heavier than our standard approximations. One really cool technology that was unveiled however was the the “Hover Over Here” software which builds a model of a house based off a mere eight pictures and who’s size can then be estimated by professionals. I think this shows just how far our understanding of 3d technology is advancing. We aren’t that far from simply strapping a GPS equipped go pro on to our heads and walking around a historical sight and having a full 3d rendering, accurate to centimeters waiting for us back home. Imagine if your show research could be not simply pictures from a small town outside of Venice but a full 3d rendering of that town complete with textures, colors, and form.
It’s always cool to check out new innovations in remodeling. Some, but not all of these products could potentially have theatrical uses as well. I really like the DriCore Smartwall panels. Not having to tape traditional panels looks like a time-saver, though I’m not sure that that makes up for having to put on two coats of joint compound. The wire chases are a nice touch. I’m also really liking the Smart Wedge plastic shims. I’m not sure if this is a new brand of plastic shim or if it’s really taken that long for someone to make a plastic shim, but it’s neat nonetheless. Even though wooden shims are cheap and easy to make, for a long-term installation, having something that won’t rot is a great benefit. I feel obligated to mention that while the Snap Power outlet cover serves a functional purpose, does anyone really need one of these things? Why not just use a charging adapter? Unless you put these all over your house, you’re still going to have to carry one around. For $20, I don’t think it’s worth it.
This article appealed to me partially in the sense that my parents are trying to design a new home, so my mother is usually one to go to home and garden shows to see what the latest trend is, or what some nifty innovation might be neat to go into the house. I think one of the coolest things I found with this was the Hover Over Here. Just by taking pictures of your house to get dimensions, and sending that to the company to have a report, is definitely a little quicker and easier than trying to do it yourself. Sure you can, but you’d spend valuable time that you could have used elsewhere. Also the screen doors with the railing is a pretty neat design. I wouldn’t really call it an innovation, but it definitely gives the idea of having screens in more than just one place more appealing. I think the railing gives it a cleaner look. It looks more like the current times, because I know that what has been done in the past is just a general wooden railing, but that tends to warp and bend over time.
Some of the products in this article have little to no bearing on the theater industry. There are a few, however, that seem like they could have some use in the business. One of which is the ceiling tile. While not strictly related to scenic construction, these could be a great asset to any theater in construction or undergoing renovation. Another product that could be useful in scenic construction is the FlexJamb, which could be used to protect entryways while moving scenery or to mask while painting. Some of the other products may be indirectly useful or be able to influence the theater industry. Mostly, I am speaking of the visualization programs. If I could have taken pictures of my theater at UT, sent it away, and gotten an accurate CAD drawing back, I would have done it in a heartbeat. The same can be said for the “design on the fly” programs. Sometimes making little changes in the CAD programs that we use in the industry isn’t that easy.
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