January 13th, 2012
With January here, many of us are dreading winter’s long, dreary onset. It means shorter days, longer nights and spending time indoors reading, knitting or sitting fireside and catching up on movies. Dreaded nights be damned, as the Crawleys of Downton Abbey have returned to our midst. With the Great War upon them, we’re anxiously awaiting if Mr. Bates’s past will be unearthed and if Anna will accept him; whether Thomas will be revealed as a scheming cad and war dodger; and, most important, will Matthew and Lady Mary finally get it together? To commemorate the occasion, we thought these Victorian-inspired items might resonate with fans of the show. In fact, we’d be so bold to say that their addition could instantly elevate one’s abode from ordinary homestead to lavish manorhood. Read the rest of this entry »
December 23rd, 2011
The Styleture editorial team has made no secret of our love affair with lighting design. We’re always keeping an eye out for new trends and products to tickle our fancy. When it comes to lighting design for 2012, the theme is undoubtedly bigger, better and brighter technologies, not to mention a shift towards softer and warmer design elements. Here are several trends and products that will shine bright in the New Year:
1. It’s a LED, LED, LED World
Disc by CSL (Creative Systems Lighting)
There is no escaping it – LEDs are the lighting buzz word for 2012. Since LEDs are so compact, lighting manufacturers are no longer limited to the same old forms for decorative fixtures. They can now design and fabricate fixtures in new shapes, sizes and configurations that they couldn’t do before with incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs. Best examples? Stiletto by Corbett Lighting and Disc by CSL® (Creative Systems Lighting).
Stiletto by Corbett Lighting
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December 9th, 2011
Sommerhaus Piu
When it comes to pre-fabricated eco-houses, the Sommerhaus Piu by German architects Patrick Frey and Götte Björn is unparalled in design. Envisioned as a vacation house, but usable for other purposes including as a work studio, Sommerhaus Piu offers the ultimate in streamlined, elegant living.
Crafted from sustainable woods for a modern, naturalistic feel, Sommerhaus Piu is designed to offer its inhabitants both a luxurious indoor feel and outdoor relaxation and recreation facilities. The home should ideally be erected on or near a natural, open site for maximum benefit. The façade features a simple, wooden strip style with a slightly sloping roof made from charcoal planks. Sections of the roof are perforated to provide a system of natural ventilation. An abundance of natural light pours into the house through clerestory windows, however the roof’s overhang provides protection from overexposure. Large sliding glass doors blur the boundary between home and nature, creating an environment of beautiful scenery; however, the bedroom of the home is closed off for total privacy. Additionally, a wide open terrace, painted dark to define the edge of the house, and covered veranda allow for alfresco dining and other outdoor activities.
Sommerhaus Piu by Patrick Frey and Götte Björn
Ultimately, the eco-friendly design of Sommerhaus Piu provides a pleasurable and comfortable green environment for its inhabitants, as well as a lower costing option for a summer home. It is the ideal home for those who want to have a getaway in the summer where they can relax indoors while having the option to enjoy the outdoors as well. Furthermore, the Sommerhaus Piu has been designed so that it is livable during all seasons.
October 19th, 2011
Crab Creek House designed by Robert Gurney
Near an eye-catching estuary in Annapolis, Maryland, known as Crab Creek, which feeds the Chesapeake Bay, is a modern stone, stucco and slatted wood house from the vivid imagination of Robert Gurney Architect. Known as Crab Creek House, it is innovatively built on the foundation of a post and beam house from the 1960’s. Perhaps most impressively, its construction adheres to strict environmental regulations of the region, and does so with amazing style and grace.
Crab Creek House interior
The central spine of Crab Creek House is a linear bar clad in white stucco around which the rest of the home’s design elements are organized. Additional spaces arise independently and are sided in wood or metal. With a desire to create a strong relationship between the interior of the house and the exterior environment, floor to ceiling windows allow abundant natural light to flood in. Crab Creek House’s main living area offers its occupants expansive water views and features high ceilings and soft neutral tones. An open floor plan creates a space that appears much bigger than it actually is, and utilizes materials such as white oak, black slate, white marble, rusted steel and glass for a visceral and elegant look. The variation in color contrasts and materials makes a bold statement and clearly defines the house’s visual personality. Minimal furnishings and indirect recessed lighting further puts emphasis on thoughtful and balanced living. Occupants may step outside to a private swimming pool, or venture further out into the untouched Maryland woods. Crab Creek House is the ideal home for those who value gorgeous views and a deep connection to nature. Read the rest of this entry »
October 4th, 2011
At Styleture, our editorial team always stays attuned to the latest in interior design trends. We’re never too proud to benefit from the wisdom of other design bloggers – especially a blogger like Boston-based Linda Merrill (www.surroundings.net), who also happens to be a designer. For Fall 2011, she’s been generous enough to share with us her favorite trends and product picks for the upcoming season, including eclectic mixes, vintage looks and soothing styles for the spa:
Mix and Match
“From high-low pricing, to mixed finishes and styles, antiques and vintage mixed with modern forms – true eclecticism is taking hold in the design world,” said Merrill. It’s partly a response to the economy and partly environmental. “We’re all reusing and refurbishing what we have, stretching the budget, splurging on some items, saving on others, keeping things out of landfills,” she adds.
Mix and match Hastings Tile & Bath's GDO Raised Panel Ceramic Tile
With Hudson Valley Lighting's® Chatham
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September 13th, 2011
In the design world, bigger is not always better. After all, the smaller the space, the greater the innovation. Residential designers and architects in urban locations are no strangers to resolving the issue of compact lots and homes; but now small is becoming big due to the economic downturn. According to “20/20: IFDA’s Vision for the Future,” a new report from the International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA), we can all look forward to smaller houses with smaller rooms by 2020: fully 76 percent of respondents said so, as opposed to only 49 percent at the last IFDA census. And with less square footage, wouldn’t it also follow that home products need to deliver a double-dose of functionality in order to save space? With that in mind, here are three clever products for the home that serve double duty:
1. Cache by Zephyr®
Cache range hood by Zephyr
Cache’s subdued and elegant design is only enhanced by its ability to eschew clutter and create ordered elegance in the kitchen. Cache offers a spacious storage compartment discreetly hidden beneath a sweeping, understated hood and utensil rail. Read the rest of this entry »
September 8th, 2011
Bamboo is making quite a name for itself as an eco-chic material used in the contemporary bath environments of discerning homeowners. Bamboo’s environmental benefits stem from the fact that it can grow and spread quickly without the need for much water or care. A bamboo grove can release 35 percent more oxygen into the air than a similar-sized lot of trees, and it matures within seven years as opposed to 35-plus years for trees. Furthermore, bamboo can yield 20-times more timber than trees planted in the same-size area. With a heightened awareness among consumers to be green in their bath environment, bamboo is undeniably a great design resource. Of course, bamboo would never fly in the bathroom if didn’t look beautiful, too – and that it does. The Styleture editorial team has zeroed in on some of our favorite bamboo products for the bath:
Xylem Bambu 36″ Vanity in Dark Bamboo
The Xylem Bambu 36" Vanity in Dark Bamboo
The eco-renewable bamboo veneer is the starting point for this versatile and fresh design vanity. Highlighted with natural bamboo accents, it can be wall mounted or floor-standing using either of two floor stands that provide comfortable heights for vessel applications or under-mount lavatory installations. Read the rest of this entry »
