Eco-Friendly Family Home Under the Texan Sun: Green Lantern Residence

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Eco-Friendly Family Home Under the Texan Sun: Green Lantern Residence
Nature-Inspired Details Shaping Modern Family Apartment in Taiwan
Defined by a High Level of Flexibility: Torei Side Tables by Luca Nichetto

Posted: 26 May 2014 08:58 AM PDT

Imagine living in this 4,000 square foot open home with your family – how would you spend your first week here? Before you answer that question, there are a few things you need to know about the contemporary home known as the Green Lantern Residence. It occupies a corner lot in Alamo Heights, an affluent neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas.

Showcasing an open nature and embracing the natural surroundings in both shape and concept, the home was designed by San Antonio-based studio John Grable Architects. Overlooking the Olmos Basin and gathering views of downtown San Antonio, the home kept some of its original floor-plan: “The single story bedroom portions of the original 1948 ranch style home remained and were encapsulated with new one and two story public space additions.”

Architects carefully chose their design weapons, offering the family their visually attractive private heaven: “At the ground floor changes in level, stepping up over the pool along the main entry bridge and back down again from the kitchen to the living area, provide a playful dialogue and transition between public spaces, even as a largely open floor plan and generous windows act to connect these spaces to each other and the outdoors. Additionally, wall-to-wall sliding doors in the living area open up to expand the room out into the pool and landscape that provides additional outdoor space for entertaining and gathering of friends and loved ones.

The entry bridge spanning the pool enlivens these outdoor spaces with a grotto waterfall niche that compliments the cool shade of the heritage trees that reside throughout the yard. This rhythm is mirrored at the second floor as a series of folding doors in the 'party room' open to a large out-door terrace in the tree canopies, which again steps down to its own 'landscape' green roof garden with hot tub that takes in distance vistas of downtown.”

Incorporating sustainable systems like photovoltaic panels, a green roof system, grey-water harvesting and LED lighting, the home was built with respect for natural design: “The new construction was designed to re-use the existing foundation, and wood from the previous structure was recycled and re-used. Passive systems such as arbors and overhang structures were implemented to produce shading and reduce solar gain, while the entire project was sited to protect the number of existing heritage oak trees found throughout the site during construction.”

Perfect for entertaining, living a relaxed family life and enjoying a healthy, sustainable approach to urban living, this green-certified home folds the most important home sustainability issues into an elegant, eco-friendly family home.

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Nature-Inspired Details Shaping Modern Family Apartment in Taiwan

Posted: 26 May 2014 04:54 AM PDT

Cozy apartments cleverly disguise their compactness through design if owners are lucky enough to work with creative minds like Chinese company House Design. This smart, functional and modern family apartment in Taiwan was customized to the needs of the owners – a vibrant interior with plenty of hints towards nature. Infused with vibrancy through color, this collection of living spaces were arranged around a TV that swivels around to face the social area, the cooking zone or the office space.

Geometry helps separate areas in the home, as well as different functions. Mixing different building materials, the design studio managed to create a sleek interior design that supports an open lifestyle. Wood is used to add warmth and texture: a tree-inspired table in the open kitchen, wooden details framing the sofa or undulating wood shelves compose an inviting, contemporary atmosphere.

Vibrant colors punctuate the spaces while natural light is filtered through blinds and curtains. Glossy floors give the design an interesting twist, visually expanding the space. In this modern family apartment, bedrooms are inviting but keep that sleek sophistication and everything has its place in this fantastic family home.

We’d love to know: would you rather live in a cozy urban apartment in the city or a spacious house in the countryside?

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Defined by a High Level of Flexibility: Torei Side Tables by Luca Nichetto

Posted: 26 May 2014 01:47 AM PDT

Displaying an intriguing look and a minimalist design approach, Torei Side Tables were designed by Luca Nichetto for Cassina and are a great fit for modern homes. As the designer explains, “the name Torei is a phonetic transposition of the Japanese word for tray. The small tables of the Torei collection grew out of the idea of a serving tray's small dimensions and flexible use“. We have to admit the idea of a table-tray puzzled us at first, but the photos below reveal a practical and highly fashionable product.
Available in four main forms and two different heights, the collection allows users the possibility to create various compositions. The tables can be used individually (in conjunction with a sofa or armchair) or combined, for a powerful aesthetic upshot. Beautifully crafted, the products were made from fine materials such as wood and marble and stand on elegant metal leg supports. Bring them all together in an interior and enjoy a display of modern home geometry at its best!

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