Modern Extension Reshaping a Confusing Home Layout in Winchester, UK

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Modern Extension Reshaping a Confusing Home Layout in Winchester, UK
Colorful Apartment Design in the Chic 7th District of Paris
Timeless Design Showcased by Five-Bedroom Home in Pennsylvania
Stylish Concrete Sinks Designed to Energize the Kitchen and Bath Industry

Posted: 23 Jul 2014 05:02 AM PDT

Located in the outskirts of Winchester, United Kingdom, Kilham House was once a common looking building with a confusing layout. AR Design Studio came up with the idea for a modern extension that gives the crib (now entitled “The Runners House“) a distinctive look and feel: “A grand, double-height entrance guides you into the building, immediately bringing you into the heart of the home which has now been become the main living space for the family. A large expanse of sliding glazing gives views into the garden, allowing the three children to run wild whilst the parents can relax in the central space and still keep a watchful eye”.

The central timber form connects the two wings of the project, while ensuring an interesting access path towards the garden. A large concrete plinth that steps down to the courtyard creates a place to relax and dine outdoors. The interiors are minimalist, yet welcoming, exuding a powerful connection to the outdoors. A central staircase with eye-catching steel wires around it separates the space between the kitchen, dining and living areas. Foscarini's Gregg pendant lights add up to the to overall feeling of space. [Photography: Martin Gardner]

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Colorful Apartment Design in the Chic 7th District of Paris

Posted: 23 Jul 2014 02:21 AM PDT

A family of four, with a new baby on the way, lives in this colorful apartment recently completed by Camille Hermand Architectures in the chic 7th district of Paris. The owners gather regularly around the dinner table for family meals and informal dinners with friends. With the arrival of a new baby they wanted to maximize space in their busy family kitchen, by fusing the existing kitchen with the adjoining dining room. Merging the two interiors created an open and spacious kitchen-come-living space, that is both functional and elegant.

To the left, the Zimbabwe black granite work surface runs parallel to the wall of full-length fitted cupboards to the right. The cupboards running under the work surface, which are made-to-measure and hand-painted in mat black emulsion, camouflage the oven and hob. The remaining kitchen appliances are neatly out of sight in the full length cupboards to the right of the room. The walls are entirely painted in pale grey, playing on the symmetry in the room.

Running along the wall over the black granite work surface is cement Azulej tiling. Hanging above are four transparent suspension lights, giving a softening retro undertone to the kitchen. Sitting above the wall tiles is a slim black shelf that runs the length of the wall – ideal for storing little kitchen accessories, spices and ornaments. In the center of the full length cupboards is the breakfast hub, with plenty of space for all the necessary breakfast appliances. The back wall of the hub is covered with colorful and graphic wallpaper by Minakani Lab, contrasting and bringing to life the calming atmosphere of the pale grey walls. [Photos and information provided via e-mail by Camille Hermand Architectures]

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Timeless Design Showcased by Five-Bedroom Home in Pennsylvania

Posted: 22 Jul 2014 11:57 AM PDT

Farinelli Construction‘s custom residential project Street of Dreams 2014 is one of the most welcoming contemporary cribs we’ve seen lately. Its classic exterior and timeless finishes act as an open invite to exploring the property further. The five-bedroom home was created with an Eco-Friendly, Holistic mindset. The brick throughout the house is reclaimed antique cobble stone cut for interior walls, floors and ceiling details while the remaining core was used for the exterior walkways. A fresh herb garden completes the fresh look. Some interesting details were highlighted by the project developers. An Eco-Friendly approach can be seen in the sun tunnel skylight in the home office. The floor in the master shower is made from natural pebble stone. A few other unique features are the stain glass and leaded glass transoms, brick floors in the mud room, open wood trusses with turn buckle hardware in the study and mahogany porch ceilings. Enjoy the photo gallery below and tell us if you find this place as inviting as we do! [Information provided via e-mail by Farinelli Construction; Photo credits: Andy Warren Photography]

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Stylish Concrete Sinks Designed to Energize the Kitchen and Bath Industry

Posted: 22 Jul 2014 08:52 AM PDT

Native Trails' new concrete sinks, made of a groundbreaking cement and jute fiber mixture called NativeStone™, are poised to spur the concrete trend in home design and energize the kitchen and bath industry. By adding jute—a natural, renewable vegetable fiber—to the proprietary concrete blend, Native Trails has reinvented concrete as we know it. These new concrete sinks are 40 percent lighter, much stronger, and far more sustainable than traditional cement sinks since they make use of natural resources, generate less waste, and require less energy than ordinary concrete production. Less heft also makes them easier to install and less expensive to ship than traditional concrete.

In developing NativeStone™, Naomi Howard and Native Trails President Tim Blair visited artisans in Vietnam, where they spent weeks hiking to remote villages, exploring cities both ancient and modern, researching factories and workshops, and coming to appreciate the country's strong handicraft tradition and deep-rooted artisan culture.

"We were looking for a material that could translate to both a kitchen and a bath sink," says Native Trails President Tim Blair. "It needed to be artisan-made, with our Eco-Social PositiveTM philosophy and story behind it. It also had to be sustainably crafted to fit with our core beliefs and be viable for business—not an easy thing in reality. Once we saw one of the NativeStone™ prototypes and felt the smooth, cool texture, we fell in love with it. That's how it goes: if we love the product, it's a pretty good bet that designers and homeowners will as well." The result is a product line inspired as much by nature as it is by modern life and by concrete's naturally industrial appeal. [Photos and information provided via e-mail by Native Trails]

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