Freshome.com - Interior Design & Architecture Newsletter

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• Evil Robot Designs Transforms Childhood Toys into Stylish Lamps
• Inviting Casa en Altos del Sol Capturing Plenty Of Natural Light
• Mallorcan Residence Among Robust Pines and Holm Oaks
• Compact Kitchens from Kitchoo
• Sustainable Getaway in East Hampton: Northwest Peach Farm
• Follow Freshome On Pinterest
• Fresh Stockholm Apartment Showing Colorful Details
• Traditional Crochet Reinterpreted in Modern Furniture
• A Residence Rooted In Its Region’s Spirit: Tahoe Ridge House

Evil Robot Designs Transforms Childhood Toys into Stylish Lamps Posted: 03 Nov 2011 05:46 AM PDT As children we all have a few toys that mean a lot to us, that we take everywhere with us and that we can't bear to be without. Many little kids form very strong attachments with their toys and even hang on to them through to adulthood. But there comes a point in all our lives where we outgrow these bonds and our treasured toys no longer play an important role in our lives. However, whilst we no longer need our toys, they still hold many treasured memories for us. What if we could find a way to transform our beloved childhood toys into useful and functional objects that we can make use of as adults? Evil Robot Designs is the brainchild of EViL ED and Dan Robotic, an entrepreneurial duo that have taken it upon themselves to change the fate of all those cherished toys that we grow out of. Using only toys, they sculpt stunning lamps that are given a striking high gloss finish. Featuring action figures from some of the most popular cartoons and movies, including The Matrix, Thunderbirds, Shrek, Star Wars, He-Man and Spiderman, these eclectic lamps harbour years' worth of memories that can be proudly displayed in our adult homes. The collection of bespoke lamps includes four standard models: Matrix Black; White Witch; Pixar Black; and Super Red. However, it is possible to commission your own individual lamp using your personal childhood toys. If you were going to commission your own lamp, what toys would it feature? What were your favourite toys as a kid? And what do you think of this idea?

Inviting Casa en Altos del Sol Capturing Plenty Of Natural Light Posted: 03 Nov 2011 04:51 AM PDT This beautiful two-story contemporary residence named Casa en Altos del Sol displays an interesting material palette. At the entrance, AMD Arquitectos designed a half open/half covered driveway flanked by wood decorations that can double as a terrace area leading to the surprising backside, The front facade displays a play of apparent volumes and a modern material palette, while the backside of Casa en Altos del Sol opens all interiors to unobstructed day-long natural light exposure through a huge glass wall. Located in Country Altos del Sol, Buenos Aires, Argentina, the 2,475 square foot two-story residence comprises living spaces on the ground floor, oriented towards the garden and private rooms on the first floor. The kitchen has a direct view to the front entrance, allowing inhabitants to see family members pull up to the driveway. Do you like this idea of opening to welcoming guests through architecture and space arrangement?

Mallorcan Residence Among Robust Pines and Holm Oaks Posted: 03 Nov 2011 03:50 AM PDT The sloping terrain underneath this dream home challenged the architects working on this project to avoid changing the existing topography. The sumptuous residence was placed among robust pines and holm oaks that could be a base for a small truffle orchard. Its name – Casa Gotmar 138 – forgets to describe the polished design lines, but mentions the single family living in this residence. Palma-based architect Miquel Lacomba created a stunning modern residential architecture in Pollenca, on the Spanish island of Mallorca. A lightweight ramp parks the cars on the first upper level and this is also where the choice of entering the property appears – you can take the rooftop entrance stairs or the tree-adorned outside path down to the terraced landscape or to another level of the house. Mediterranean weather and forested mountain views are captured through glass walls and sliding doors and extensive use of windows protected by wooden screens. Created as a series of inside/outside spaces, the rooms and terraces of this amazing home are spread around the levels and flanked by exterior terraces going down the sloped terrain. Isn’t this how a dream home would look like on a sloped property?

Compact Kitchens from Kitchoo Posted: 03 Nov 2011 02:46 AM PDT The UK's Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) recently launched a campaign called HomeWise to highlight the fact that most new build homes in the UK are falling short of the recommended size guidelines. Britain's 'shameful shoebox homes' are failing to provide the space that families need for modern day living. The average new three bedroom home currently being built by the UK's top house builders is around 8% smaller than the basic recommended minimum size, depriving families of the space needed to live comfortably and cohesively. Just as new build houses are getting smaller, many of the existing larger properties are being carved up into smaller apartments or studio flats in order to house burgeoning populations. These small dwellings often cram the living quarters into as few rooms as possible and open plan seems to be the key with living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms often being confined to a single room. With space being such a premium these days, innovative space-saving designs for the home are more important than ever. These compact kitchens from French company Kitchoo are designed to provide all the functionality expected from a kitchen in the least space possible. Most models incorporate an integrated fridge-freezer, an induction hob with 2 rings, and a telescopic mixer tap, whilst optional extras include integrated dishwasher, microwave oven, washing machine, recycling bin and cutlery rack, depending on the model. Kitchoo compact kitchens are sophisticated, well-equipped and extremely practical. The five designs, including the award-winning K1 kitchen, can be hidden away behind closed doors when not in use and look like any other cupboard or dresser that you might find at home. Living in a property with such a small kitchen can’t be easy. But these lovely little compact kitchens would certainly make life easier when space is limited. Don’t you agree?

Sustainable Getaway in East Hampton: Northwest Peach Farm Posted: 03 Nov 2011 01:34 AM PDT Northwest Peach Farm is another impressive contemporary residence designed by Bates Masi Architects, this time located in East Hampton, New York, USA. The crib ocuppies an area of 7,000 square feet and was especially designed as a getaway home for the clients’ extended family. This is why nothing was left to chance. The house offers opportunities for socializing, as well as meditation in solitude. Here is more from the architects: “The clients wanted this to be a gathering place for their family, full of memories for generations to come. Thus the materials were chosen not only for durability but also for their gradual changes over many years. The copper siding and roofing will slowly turn green as the weathering limestone becomes darker. However, the window system will stand the test of time unchanged. A geothermal heating and cooling system, green roofs, organic finishes, and triple glazed windows will minimize the structure's environmental impact over the generations”. Do you find the design of the Northwest Peach Farm suited for a holiday home?

Follow Freshome On Pinterest Posted: 02 Nov 2011 12:20 PM PDT For all of you who are on Pinterest we would like to announce that Freshome is on Pinterest. We hope you check us out and maybe even follow us for all your Pinteresting finds. For those of you who don’t know what is Pinterest here is a quick explanation : “Pinterest is virtual bulletin board that lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. It's a visual tool to quickly sort and save ideas, inspiriation, recepies, project details – anything you want.  Not only does it store an image, it also allows you to categorize them into "boards" storing both the original web link and a thumbnail image.”

Fresh Stockholm Apartment Showing Colorful Details Posted: 02 Nov 2011 10:42 AM PDT Cool and fresh apartments are not hard to find if you know where to look. These inspirational spaces can be the base or your next renovation or the beginning of a beautiful love for interior design and architecture. An apartment like the one found on Alvhem can change the way you look at color and simplicity gathered in a bright and well lit space. Located in Stockholm, this 6 rooms apartment occupies the last two floors of a building, giving the inhabitants plenty of room for comfortable daily activities. There are two bathrooms, one of every floor and a recently renovated kitchen beautifully contrast glossy white furniture, black counter top and mosaic backsplash. Upstairs, where the bedrooms are located, sloping ceiling and charming angles offer a modern and bold atmosphere, while the dark-stained solid wood floor gives a warm cozy feeling. None of the upstairs walls are bearing walls, which means that the inhabitants can reorganize the space as they see fit. Look at the color palette and try to find one thing that doesn’t fit.

Traditional Crochet Reinterpreted in Modern Furniture Posted: 02 Nov 2011 09:25 AM PDT The Crochet Chair, Crochet Table and Crochet Light are all part of Marcel Wanders playful vision on this traditional means of decorating. The elegant molded shape and fascinating crochet details of the Crochet Collection are made from white cotton and coated with epoxy resin. Eccentric and talented, the designer played with individually hand-sewn crochet flowers to shape different items that are hollow on the inside, creating the extraordinary feeling of an elegant ghost chair. This collection offers new applications for traditional crochet, enlarging the decorative possibilities of this beautiful art. Apparently even Jay-Z and Beyonce have one of these beautiful furniture items – the Crochet Chair by Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, for which it is rumored to have paid $40K. The interesting piece of furniture was bought by the famous couple during a private tour of a design exhibition in Miami.

A Residence Rooted In Its Region’s Spirit: Tahoe Ridge House Posted: 02 Nov 2011 08:17 AM PDT The Tahoe Ridge House was designed by studio WA Design Inc and is located in Tahoe Donner, 15 miles from Lake Tahoe, California, USA. The brief of the project involved the creation of a contemporary building strongly rooted in the Tahoe area. According to the architects, the design of the project naturally derived from the characteristics of the region: “Vernacular mining and stamp mill buildings in the Tahoe area inspired the design of this home. All movement of material within the mill was achieved by gravity hence the structures are characteristically elongated vertically.Significant mountain vistas quickly became a key design consideration. Views of the mountains of Nevada to the north, to Tinker's knob and the Sierra Crest to the south, needed to be revealed. These criteria resulted in a floor plan that sprawls along two orthogonal axes and ascends vertically to the north to the study and master bedroom. The experience of flow along the axes is enhanced by a clear rhythm of 10" x 10" recycled Douglas fir structural posts that tie in with the roof framing above“. Don’t you just love this home, especially integrated in a winter setting?

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