Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Remodeling Project of an Edwardian Terrace House

Situated in Hammersmith, London, below is a beautiful remodeling project of an Edwardian terrace house. Finished by Paul McAneary Architects, the house consists of three bedrooms with twofloor levels. The house is aimed to fulfill the client wish because they want a contemporary design and functionality. Besides that, the client also desires to have a garden as a continuation of the indoor area. The house is finished in concept that make the whole design is a 30-degree twist, offering physical and perceptive overlapping between the out and indoor. This concept let enough natural light to fill in the room during the day. The kitchen-living area is expanded to the externallandscape, giving perfect composition of connection between outdoor and indoor area. Complemented with frameless glass skylight and open façade, the area is flooded by enough sunlight. The house is adorned with a small garden area at the backyard, which is near to the kitchen area. The floating external deck is an ideal spot for enjoying the warm of the sun or evening tea with family. Here is a few from the architect “The angle facilitates the overlap between the garden and kitchen thresholds – so whilst at the sink you feel the garden is actually behind you. This conceptual idea is manifest in the details of the faceted zinc facade and the floating external deck, being cut back to a fine angled edge.”

















source: homedug

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Modern Roof Garden Design

Not everyone is blessed with large outdoor area, but there is always a way to create a garden to your home. Roof garden is one of useful technique that allows you to have a small outdoor space for enjoying the breeze and blue sky. The idea came from Simon Morray-Jones Architects, Clair Strong Interior Styling and UK-based BlueSky Landscape. Below garden is situated on two-storey urban apartment that present as an extension of the living area. This contemporary garden is decorated with low-maintenance plants and cozy outdoor furniture. This is a smart garden design for a busy people that will not have enough time to take care of the plants. The roof garden is also completed with a food prep space and dining areas, providing a small heaven in hectic city life. 










source : homedug

Modern Kids Room Design Inspirations

Designing a perfect teen’s bedroom can be confusing. When the kid grows up we need to consider their opinions and styles. We could involve them to create a comfortable and suit with their age and needs. We’ve featured lots of attractive kid’s room design that can be used for teens as well. Before start picking up the furniture design or maybe arrange the layout, you need to choose the background color first. You can choose orange or red for creating fresh interior or paint the wall with blue, green and white for calm room design. After the painting is done you can move to the next step, which is selecting furniture design. To get suitable furniture, you may want to measure the room first and choose the furniture that will perfectly fit the room’s size. Choose necessary furniture only to avoid filling your kid’s room with unimportant items. You can fill the room with bed (it can be single, double or bunk bed), wardrobe, study desk, chair and bookshelves. Those are enough for making a comfortable kid’s room. When you already get the right furniture, you can start thinking about the layout. Choose a layout that provide an enough empty space and will not make the bedroom looks crowded. When those steps are done, you can add simple ornaments such as wall sticker, mural or others to make the bedroom look more alive. Below you can see 15 stylish and organized kids bedroom from Spanish designer Sergi that can enrich your ideas. 


























source : homedug

Modern Wall Storage

Add minimalist touch to your hallway or front foyer with these cool wall shelves collections by Matthias Ries. Dubbed the Piegato, this shelf consists of one laser-cut and powder-coated sheet of steel with perforation that could fold the shelf to suit your needs. This cool wall shelf has two attractive versions; the first model is completed with chalkboard to allow you write a schedule or note, while the other is completed with a mirror. These shelves are also space saving solutions, which can be opened or folded to display things or store your books, novels, or others. The shelf is available in two colors, black and white. 













source : homedug

Awesome Italian Restaurant

Finished by Architect David Guerra, this beautiful restaurant is located in the ground floor of a residential building at Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The Italian Restaurant Vila Giannina distinguished by the refinement of an a la Carte restaurant in the menu and decoration. This contemporary restaurant can fit for up to 300 seats and offers a self service style. The building is finished with Italy style that can be seen from the plaid and materials like straw, antique wood, bamboo, the reed, and the hidráulico tile. The restaurant is built above a total 1100 square meters construction area. The restaurant looks very amazing from the seating arrangement, the furniture selection and even the rest room looks so inviting. Here is few from the architect “The functionality and the simple language created by the straight lines reflect the contemporary. The strong colors, the double height room, the exposed structure, the lighting, the rustic materials and the sculpture shelves create a ludic atmosphere.” Enjoy the Images! [Photos by: Jomar Bragança] 





















source : homedug

How to Choose the Perfect Countertop for your Family

Your kitchen is the heart of the home and how it performs and how it looks are the most important factors to most families.  The countertop material you choose will be based on your budget, your style preference and how durable it is for your lifestyle. When considering countertop materials do your research ahead of time. While some are more beautiful than others, some have to be maintained to keep their beauty and durability. Read on to see how to choose the perfect countertop for your family and lifestyle.

  • Assess your family and lifestyle: For busy families on the go the wear and tear of everyday life can take a beating on countertop surfaces. If your family only uses the kitchen occasionally higher end granite may be perfect.  While if you are constantly cooking, kids are using the countertop for science projects, and you don’t want to keep up with maintenance a plastic laminate low cost countertop may be a better choice.
  • Durability & Price: When choosing a countertop you should consider the durability before the price.  The reason being, just because you can afford it, doesn’t mean it will hold up in your home. Here are tips for durability:

o   Plastic Laminate: Durable for moderate wear, comes in a multitude of colors, low end in price, can chip at the edges and shouldn’t be cut directly on.
o   Solid Surface: Man made material with color throughout, scratches easily but can be buffed or polished out by professional. Mid range price and has a wide range of colors.
o   Butcher Block: Wood product, best used for islands away from water sources/sinks. Medium durability – can absorb stains because wood is porous. Color is chosen by different wood stains, moderate to high in price. 


o   Tile: Durable if taken care of properly. Porcelain tiles can chip, crack or break if items are dropped on the counter.  Grouting can also chip and discolor. Price is based on how expensive the individual tiles are. Can get expensive with hand painted and imported tile.
o   Granite: Very durable because it is stone. Since it’s porous will need to be sealed periodically. Granite is in the high price bracket.
o   Concrete: Very durable although it is possible to crack. It can be molded into shapes and stained different colors.  It too, should be sealed and is in the med range price bracket.


Heat resistance: One of the considerations when choosing a countertop material is the heat resistance when you are cooking.  You shouldn’t put hot pans directly on countertops.  Using a trivet between the pan and the countertop surface is a good idea.  Natural stone materials and concrete can endure heat better than plastic laminate that can leave a scorch mark. Ceramic tile countertops can take heat, but may crack due to rapid temperature changes.  To be certain, do not place heated pans on countertops, stainless steel is one of the few countertops that can endure heat.


Choosing a kitchen countertop should be considered thoroughly. Lifestyle, budget and durability are the main determining factors. Use these tips to help guide you and then check with local countertop suppliers and get their opinion on the different materials.  New materials and countertop varieties emerge on the market every day.  You never know, the countertop for your family is probably waiting for you to discover it!










source : freshome


The Modern Indoor Stairs by Christian Siller

Siller Stairs is an Italian-based company producing unique contemporary stairway models from glass, stainless steel and wood. Its international trademarks are top quality and exclusiveness. Designer Christian Siller is the founder of the firm and he is currently developing all the designs according to his customers’ needs. For today, we chose to showcase 18 exquisite staircases that define and “upgrade” the interior within which they are placed. Delivering “character and soul”, these designs were custom made and achieved after a few serious planning sessions held between the company and the clients. Some of the stairs are transparent and seem to hover over the floors, enhancing the feeling of space. Modern and diverse, these charming models manage to deliver simplicity in its most elegant form.



























source: www.freshome.com