Fabulous- But Unrealistic!
The exterior features a cement facade and cedar paneling, plus solar panels on top of the enclosed pool. Rainwater barrels gather water for use throughout the home. The wood siding was designed using a rain-screen technique. "The wood siding is pulled off the house with 1-by-2 furring strips so air can flow behind the siding," Mehl explains. "This helps to dry out the wood when it gets wet and ventilates the space behind the siding to help insulate the building."
Freeform pools don't have to conform to any shape or size standard. They can be based upon the most whimsical idea, but often are used in the design phase to complement or create landscaping. Freeform pools are most commonly used when the space does not allow for a rectilinear or geometric design. Freeform pools have grown to become some of the most frequently built pool shapes, mostly due to other elements of outdoor room design such as firepits, outdoor kitchens, pergolas and shade areas.
This rooftop garden shows another approach to creating garden space in the domain usually dominated by air conditioners and other mechanical components. The building has to be designed from the ground up to accomodate the weight of the garden and manage stormwater. Tough, year-round plants in 18-inch-high planters require little maintenance. Planter walls provide seating; pavers set over a suspended infrastructure and a killer view make this space popular with building tenants.
This green roof provides all of the environmental benefits of a living roof and complements the strong lines of this home's modern architecture.
The world's finest hammams (Turkish for steam bath) all seem to have smaller tiles. I have been researching them for months and have yet to find out why this is, but if the wheel isn't broken, don't fix it. There's lots of heat and moisture in any steam shower, of course, and small tile in these world-class hammams may help with expansion and contraction.
Some people have wine cellars, and some people have watch rooms. Interior designer Alexandra Zimmer's client, a watch collector, wanted a room devoted to his watch collection. Each piece is stored facing outward and protected behind a glass door. Packaging and spare parts are all stored in the room as well to increase the watches' resale value.
This wall-to-wall photograph is by Italian artist Alex Turco. The homeowner wanted a clean, simple look for the room but also wanted to make a statement. "Part of what we do is get inspiration from fashion," says Fanny Zigdon of Design Loft Interiors. "And this really is a fashion statement, but it doesn't take up any physical space. It's almost like having something sculptural." She adds, "It's a waterproof panel that's very thin and very flush to the wall. We wanted it to be a part of the design, not so much a piece of art hanging on the wall. Yet, it's very three-dimensional and there's a lot of depth to it. Overall, it made a statement and determined the entire feel of the space."
A wider perspective of the bathroom from the other side of the curved wall reveals a heated towel rack, ample bench space and, in the background, part of the glass unit that contains the full-height shower unit.
On the other side of the wall is a soaking tub that's used by the woman of the house.
This luxury bathroom is located at the top of a four-story home. Its most striking feature is a wood-trimmed curved wall. The partition splits the space in two; on one side is the sink and vanity, along with a full-height shower unit and steam room (not in this picture).
Nesting and modern design are not mutually exclusive. Check out this design, which nestles a window seat under the open, modern stairway. Sitting in that seat with a book and staring out the massive window at the endless vista would be a great way to spend a chilly winter day.
"At night we sleep with the windows wide open, enjoying the entire bay view uninterrupted and the fragrant honeysuckle I planted along the entire back fence," says Debbas.
The glass windows and doors on the back side of the house open fully to connect with the outdoors. Interior railings were installed on the upper levels for safety.
Each door was individually designed and pivots to open and close. Decks just outside are tiled with ceramic slats designed to look like wood. Like the exterior's fiberboard, the ceramic creates the warmth of wood, without the maintenance.
The family room on the bottom floor is one of Debbas' favorites. It's sunken into the site, and the backyard extends directly out from its door to the exterior. The yard — surrounded by olive trees, honeysuckle and oaks — provides a sense of intimacy with a few peeks at the beautiful view.
Light from a window wall on the western side reflects off the white counters and custom glass backsplash in the kitchen.
"Once the house was done, the furniture found itself," says Debbas. Closets and other storage pieces are built in, so he wanted only a few statement pieces to pull the rest of the house together. Sofas and a dining table from B&B Italia, Maharam upholstery and Zanotti chairs reflect the architect's modern style.
Beech woodwork, black-stained Brazilian cherry floors and warm colors mix up the look on the interior, adding warmth and light in unexpected places.
This curved window slit, which is situated right above the fireplace in the living room, manipulates the effect of the light in the house.
Inside, Debbas designed the interior so that the home revolved around the presence of light. The numerous windows and skylights allow the look of this home to be consistently redefined from morning to night.
Debbas' aesthetic inspiration came from the simplicity of modern Scandinavian and Japanese design. "Rooted in minimalism, it also highlights the use of natural lighting, passive solar design, simple materials and form, as well as quiet and eloquent detailing," he says.
The house was designed so that it sinks down into the plot, allowing for views of the bay from the street and making the house feel more integrated with its surroundings.
The outside of the house is made of sustainable, man-made materials that require little maintenance — just a good power wash each year. The cement and resin fiberboard is also fire resistant — a good characteristic for these dry and windy California hills. The fiberboard is designed to look like wood, which gives the modern design a warm feel.
1,000 feet of rooftop deck offers 360-degree views. Fiber concrete paneling lines the railing. A built-in gas grill and island stand ready for spring.
A 9-inch drywall bump-out in the second bedroom provides minimal art, a headboard and ambient lighting via LED rope lights around the edges.
The roof over the curved corner became a deck off the master bedroom.
Frankovitch likes the industrial look of exposed ducts. "Why take up that big square with drywall?" he asks. Ceramic tile covers the concrete floor.
The upstairs is designed for parties, music room or a home office. He blended three Sherwin Williams colors — Tony Taupe, Accessible Beige and Aesthetic White — to play with light and dimension.
A local glass shop fabricated the backsplash: a 170-gallon aquarium. He chose KraftMaid acrylic cabinets in almond and stainless steel countertops. The orange stools and the rest of his accessories came from Stuff Furnishings, a favorite local shop.
On other side of that rounded wall: a sunken den or sitting room. Frankovitch used horizontal oak paneling to emphasize the curve, dropped a lighting grid into the original ceiling and turned a partition wall into art with cut-outs painted Sherwin Williams Cayenne. The steps lead to the engineered bamboo floor of the kitchen.
Wow. Awesome conversion
Love.
Wow
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Love. Love. Love! Especially love the built in book case
The chic Loft Cube, while meant to be a temporary living structure, still needs the help of a contractor to put together. Most prefab building suppliers can help you with site preparation and installation services. You can also enlist a professional contractor with experience in prefab buildings. While there's a little more effort involved than plunking a trailer down in your backyard, the sleek and stylish design can't be beat.
The Locomo Series from Marmol Radziner Prefab is a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to your standard custom built home. You can purchase several customizable options from 800 to 2,200 square feet.
This shed from Modern Cabana comes in multiple sizes and finishes. This 10' x 12' size is their smallest, and would work wonderfully as a modern garden shed or backyard office.
If a garden shed is really more of what you're looking for, these prefab Metrosheds offer an easy-to-assemble alternative that can be quickly delivered to your house. Made of termite-resistant cedar, the customizable Metroshed options all provide insulated wall panels, aluminum sliding glass doors, ventilation shutters with bug screens, corrosion resistant hardware, and UV protected roofing.
Prefab buildings can cost less overall than a stick-built structure since the materials are bought in bulk. But when you're working with a good vendor, the manufacturing process still ensures a high level of quality control. The ZipCabin is made out of select grade solid timber treated to resist decay and insects. Galvanized steel brackets and bolts act as connecting tools, and the home sits upon composite foundation pads with a lifetime guarantee. I'd be perfectly content living in this 12' x 16' space (which, conveniently, is small enough to be permit-exempt in many areas).
This unit is a great example of the modern style and flexibility of a prefab building. The Dual Office Studio is a great solution for someone working from home, with enough space for a workspace and a small living area. Since this is a panelized prefab, each factory-made part will be assembled into the structure on-site. Another style of prefab buildings are precut, which means they are almost fully constructed in a factory before being shipped out.
The Modern/Cube style from Decorated Shed doesn't look much different than a traditionally built studio. Developments in architecture — such as structural insulating panels, which can be precut and locked together — make the structures strong and the building process easy.
The Ecospace WorkPod is a relatively low-cost and practical backyard office that can be customized when you order. It has a swing-up window cover, which doubles as a sunshade when it's raised. You can choose from a variety of colors and for more money add shelves, a built-in desk and other customizations to suit what you need for your new office away — but not too far away — from home.
The Sett Studio office is more like a prefab house, with a "water and ice shield roof membrane," drywall walls and Monotred flooring. A solar-powered version is in the works. You can add upgrades like air conditioning and heat, a built-in desk, stainless steel metal shingles and planter boxes. You can even add a deck.
The OfficePOD is a 7- by 7-foot prefab office with some innovative features. The office itself has outlets internally, and then a single electrical connector gets juice from the house. The walls reflect light from the ceiling. A built-in desk and wood-slat storage give you all the basics for a home office. Pricing depends upon customization options. Other types of PODs, including a MeetingPOD, are also available.
The Tetra Shed is a modular system for living and working that can be combined into clusters of up to six. One or two are perfect for a backyard office. When they become available later in 2012, you'll be able to customize the exterior with different colors and materials, including rubber, steel, zinc and copper.
Gorgeous!
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