Unique Home Parading an Inverted Floor Plan for Informal Socialization

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• Unique Home Parading an Inverted Floor Plan for Informal Socialization
• World’s First Smart Ceiling Fan Controllable by a Smartphone App [Video]
• How To Create A Georgian Colonial Home Interior
• Sophisticated Residence Design Blurring the Lines Between Indoor and Outdoor 

Unique Home Parading an Inverted Floor Plan for Informal Socialization Posted: 02 Aug 2014 12:36 AM PDT Hiding its modernity in plain sight, this exquisite residence in Singapore unveils a spacious, minimalist and inviting interior design. Imagined by ONG and ONG design studio, the home at 31 Blair Road Residence was designed in such  a way that the floor plan eliminates the boundary between indoors and outdoors with each chance it gets. Conserved yet updated to offer the very best of modern comfort, the home provides a combination of minimalist design and neutral colors within a very versatile and elegant space cluster. Within this confined space, the double-height rooms offer the illusion of larger spaces, while  carefully placed skylights and light wells flood it with light from above. The design team explains the choices in color and theme: “Since the house was intended for rental, a neutral colour palette was employed to complement the changing tastes between individual tenants. Bamboo is a recurrent theme throughout the house, from the forecourt garden to the sand-blasted motifs within.” This 306 square meter home provides contemporary shelter defined by carefully maintained historic references. This continuation of spaces was kept in the modern realm by including customized elements like the placing of the kitchen and dining space right at the entrance. This is where the socialization takes place and the owners can enjoy the versatile space in an informal atmosphere. How do you feel about an inverted floor plan like this one? The post Unique Home Parading an Inverted Floor Plan for Informal Socialization appeared first on Freshome.com.

World’s First Smart Ceiling Fan Controllable by a Smartphone App [Video] Posted: 01 Aug 2014 01:37 PM PDT Check out the world's first smart ceiling fan designed with an on‐board computer and array of sensors. SenseME™ technology, available exclusively on the Haiku ceiling fan, revolutionizes a home fixture that hadn't changed for decades. "The typical home has more than three fans, but they're no smarter or better looking than your great‐grandma's," said Carey Smith, founder and Chief of Big Ass Fans. "In the past couple of years, we've seen smart thermostats and smart light bulbs, yet you still have to pull a chain to start your ceiling fan. SenseME changes everything." SenseME is said to know when you enter or leave a room and turn Haiku on and off automatically, so no switch is necessary. It also monitors the room's temperature and humidity, adjusting Haiku's speed when conditions change. In time, the device is able to learn your comfort preferences, tailoring fan speed adjustments to what you find comfortable. Haiku with SenseME is the first fan controllable by a smartphone app. Use the app to set schedules for both the fan and light or select from several unique control modes. Among them is Gradual Awake that gently increases the fan's speed and light for a more pleasant wake‐up, which research has proven reduces that can't‐get‐out‐of‐bed feeling. Be sure to check out the video at the end of the post for some interesting technical details! [Photos and information provided via e-mail by Big Ass Fans]    The post World's First Smart Ceiling Fan Controllable by a Smartphone App [Video] appeared first on Freshome.com.

How To Create A Georgian Colonial Home Interior Posted: 01 Aug 2014 09:17 AM PDT This kitchen is a great example of how to make our modern homes mimic the Georgian Colonial design. Image Source: Twist Interior Colonial decorating began as a rustic, hand-built and sturdy design which evolved over 300 years into an extremely ornate and lavish decor. This interior style began with rustic tastes because it originates back to the first American settlers in the 17th Century—settlers who were carpenters and made their own furniture. These settlers mostly originated from England where a lot of their tastes were heavily influenced. Fast forward to todays Colonial decor and you have a vast range of decor tastes that vary from simple wooden designs all the way to rich,  lavish interior decor that is filled with Chippendale and Queen Anne antiques. The latter is the main influence driving Georgian Colonial interior design. Georgian Colonial design dates back to the reigns of King George I through to IV—as you can imagine there are a lot of different design influences that factor into this vast time period. To sum it up simply, Georgian Colonial is a traditional and timeless style that is well worth replicating. Its antique-filled, elegant homes with windows draped in opulent silks, and tables set with the best sterling silver would make Queen Anne herself feel elegantly at home. Let’s take a peek inside this gorgeous Georgian Colonial home design to see if we can mimic the craftsmanship and elegance of this time period in our own homes: Formal dining rooms such as this one can be found in all Georgian Colonial designs. Image Source: Period Architecture Ltd.  Georgian Antique-Filled Rooms Georgian Colonial homes were filled with high-quality antiquities. Queen Anne, Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton furniture styles were among the most popular.  Furniture gleamed of well-polished wood and rooms were put together in a formal style where clutter was not common. Everything had a place and styles were not mixed— they were all of the same high-quality era.  Some of the less rich designs may feature more rustic, cottage-style antiques, but will remain elegant in a cozy manner. Naturally, since wood was so plentiful, it was used to make all these fine furnishings. For the high-end furniture, walnut, cherry and maple woods were used. For the simpler furnishings, pine and birch woods were the go-to textile. The higher-quality styles featured ornate carved and curved legs, while the more rustic styles featured large rectangular plank boards. Either way, these historic homes had wood everywhere and the furnishings were always well-crafted. After you are finished reading this article, you may also want to read Historic Homes and Why They Still Capture Our Hearts. This is a lovely example of an antique-filled Georgian Colonial sitting room. Image Source: David Jones Architects  Colonial Colors Colors of Colonial times were soft and muted. It was common for colors to be whitewashed, resulting in a very airy feeling. Pale peaches or pinks, muted greens, soft blues, yellows , browns and taupes were among the most common colors. In order to achieve this look in your own home, we suggest choosing colors that are not saturated. Instead, choose soft, elegant colors that can be found in nature. It may help to ask your local paint store if they have a line of heritage paints, and tell them the style you are trying to achieve. Essentially find the color you love, but choose the lightest, softest shade in that range (usually the first shade on the color swatch). Take a cue from the image featured below. The curtains are a soft, elegant peach, and the walls are a pretty off-white with a hint of pale yellow. In this cozy cottage style, the wooden furniture is simpler and more rustic in styling. Have fun choosing feminine, soft colors to achieve your personal Georgian Colonial design. The soft color palette is commonly seen in Colonial Interiors. Image Source: Sara Tuttle  Colonial Architectural Arches and Trims French aristocratic style and classical Greek architecture had a heavy influence on Georgian Colonial architecture. Plaster and painted wood molding was used in abundance throughout these homes. The walls were literally covered from floor to ceiling in some form of trim. Orante dado rails, panelling, picture rails, cornices, and crown molding were all common wall elements. Elaborate door archways, as seen in the image below, were also a common feature —possibly a nod to a Greek design element. Most trims were painted an off-white color and wall paper also became common in the later years.  Cover your walls in these elaborate trims in order to achieve a true Georgian Colonial home. You will be surprised at how well these ornate architectural features can complete a room. The trim work in Georgian Colonial homes was always elaborate. Image Source: Images Publishing  Georgian Colonial Design Features and Accessories As you can probably tell from the images above, Georgian Colonial homes were predominantly subtle and soft in design. Everything had a delicate nature through ornate carvings, curves, and trims. Windows were covered in floor-draping panels that featured trims and tassels. Walls were covered in ornate wood work and oil paintings in gilt frames.  Furniture had curved legs, carved claw feet, and elegant lines. Fabrics were decidedly delicate, featuring crewel work and embroidery work. Lighting was ornate and was draped in crystals. All of these finespun features should be added in order to achieve a realistic Georgian Colonial home.  The image below is a nice way to make a more modern kitchen appear feminine and somewhat Georgian Colonial in design. This lovely kitchen has the soft features of Georgian Colonial Design. image Source: IBD NJ Georgian Colonial design covers centuries of influence and world-wide design elements. From Aristocratic French design to Greek design — there are a lot of design elements that you can use to suit your individual tastes. Whether you love an opulent interior or a more rustic cottage style—you can have a Georgian Colonial home interior. Simply follow the design elements stated above: colonial antiques (rustic or elegant), soft muted color, architectural trims and arches, and feminine accessories.  When combined, these elements of design will result in a lovely Georgian Colonial home whose style will outlast any trend. Do you love Georgian Colonial design? Or are you still struggling to decide what interior decorating style belongs to you? If so, consider reading How To Identify Your Own Decorating Style for some helpful advice. The post How To Create A Georgian Colonial Home Interior appeared first on Freshome.com.

Sophisticated Residence Design Blurring the Lines Between Indoor and Outdoor  Posted: 01 Aug 2014 07:25 AM PDT Located on a North-South oriented corner site in Brighton, Australia, this sophisticated residence was imagined for a mid-size family looking for an urban dwelling to enjoy daily. Exuding a rich modern feel via a multitude of indoor and outdoor living areas connected to the outdoors, the sophisticated residence was intended to serve a busy family and become their oasis of peace while connecting them to the outdoors. The two-story home designed by Darren Comber dissipates the lines between indoor and outdoor with the help of large windows drawing sunshine inside. Entertaining with family and friends becomes easy and fun in an open space, one that leads without hesitance outside, to the swimming pool in the back garden. From the double-garage facade going in, visitors get to traverse a gallery style corridor. On one side, there is a wall perfect to display artwork, while the other side opens through a glazed wall towards a pond garden and the informal living area beyond. All ground level living spaces open to views of outdoor gardens, creating a vibrant connection to the outdoors even in the intricate city urbanity. Enjoy the details of this sophisticated residence and let us know what you think about it in the comments below. We’d love to know what you think! The post Sophisticated Residence Design Blurring the Lines Between Indoor and Outdoor  appeared first on Freshome.com.

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